


Levi's Wings of Freedom

by Exellda



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alone, Alternate Universe - Wings, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Auction, Betrayal, Blow Jobs, Cages, Cameras, Chains, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Levi/Eren Yeager, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, First Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Freedom, Hand Jobs, Handcuffs, Heartbreak, Levi cleans, M/M, Mad Scientists, Mentions of Rape, Minor Character Death, Modeling, Mutation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Torture, Past Violence, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Romance, Smut, Threats of Rape/Non-Con, Trapped, ereri, new life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-02-15 21:44:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 74,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2244459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Exellda/pseuds/Exellda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi lived his whole life in a cage. His shackles followed him wherever he went which wasn't far at all. To them he was a test subject. To them he was something they could do whatever with. They could beat him, torture, inject him with unknown fluids, take pictures... By now Levi was use to these harsh terms he called life. Sometimes he'd even embrace the pain, that was all he ever knew after all. But just like children, they get tired of their toys and eventually throw them away. Thus an auction is held. What happens when they decide to sell him? They don't care if he's sold into pieces or whole as long as their pockets are full. Levi however, was use to his life... Now he had the opportunity to be free? A chance to escape. Easy right? He wished. Levi was a frightful yet, very beautiful and elegant creature. His luscious wings attracted many from everywhere. Mutant. That's what he is. People feared him yet lusted for him. So who's the lucky buyer? No other than an ocean eyed brat of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Levi's Wings Of Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic... So please be gentle. I love this pairing and it is my OTP. I feel like I'm a terrible writer but from my friends encouragment, I have posted this. o.o Enjoy and persue at your own risk.

Levi's Wings of Freedom

 

►

 

 

            _Laughter._ It was everywhere. Levi's ears were filled with this familiar sense of dread. He despised today and well- Every day. This place was shit. Today was another viewing. How he hated it so much. He wanted them to leave. _Click._ Another photo.

           

_“Wow, look at those beautiful wings!”_

 

            Levi winced slightly. Luckily there was never a crowd, only a handful of people at a time. It was always either the perverted rich who would make vulgar comments or the crazy scientists that have him held up here... Both most of the time. They would stare. Poke him through the bars of his cage. Sometimes throw things at him. Laugh. Irritate Levi to no end.

 

_“Someone should kill this fucking mutant!”_

 

            _Every fucking one of you bastards should die._ Levi's death stare could almost kill on its own. Had Levi not been shackled and trapped in a giant ‘birdcage’ (almost room sized mind you)... Red would be the new decor. In a way, the ‘birdcage’ was more like a prison cell- four sides with one side against the cold wall. Levi’s so called bed was against the wall.

 

_“Hey shorty give us a show!”_

 

            He found himself wondering if he was even sane anymore. This was what his life had become. Between a mix of random visitors, the scientists (poking, prodding, making snide or vulgar comments and injecting things into him) and an occasional punishment, life wasn't all that bad. Or was it? He got fed, clothed (lucky him), had a bed and for the most part, other than when he had visitors he was left alone. Overall, Levi was content with this but he knew it wasn't going to last for much longer. He knew something was changing. Word had spread fast that an auction was coming soon. Levi knew he'd be one of the things being sold. Whole or in parts, he didn't know yet.

 

_“Get him to flex! I want to see them!”_

 

            _PLUCK!_ Levi moved away from the bars quickly or at least as far as his chains would let him. It was a constant reminder that he was trapped. He frowned and then glared at the human who dared to pluck one of his feathers. Something like this occurred every once in a while. Levi should have been used to it by now but _damn_ it those were _his_ feathers and it still stung when they got pulled out. It was always in the same spot because that's all the humans could afford to reach. The way Levi usually positioned himself made it very difficult to reach him. He use to have elegant, beautiful wings-one black, the other white. Unfortunately, now, he was starting to get several bald spots on his wings from all of the feathers he was losing.

 

_“Look at the birdie in the cage!”_

 

            Levi brought up his wings and surrounded himself with them. Sadly this was the only place he felt safe and comfortable... in his own wings, soft and the same color as his hair. He fell slowly to the ground slightly under his bed and curled up into fetal position. He looked like a fluffy black ball. The floor was cleaner than their filthy hands.  _Leave me the fuck alone._ He was tired of these people. _Leave..._ _Just leave!_ It's too bad hell is an endless cycle.

 

            This was the usual. Levi's earliest memories were plagued with his unfortunate fate. Back when he had enormous energy to rebel. There were days that he wouldn't eat. He'd starve himself to the point that all he did was lay around and stare blankly. He felt so weak back then. They, the scientists, thought Levi was getting sick, but no one had the nerve to go into the cage and give Levi the medicine he needed to recover. The last time someone entered Levi's cage they were nearly killed. So what- more like who, was the solution?

 

            “Alright viewing is over.” _Finally._ There it was, the voice he recognized. He'd remember her voice anywhere. She annoyed him but he come to like her over the years. Hanji was the only one Levi would talk to. He was glad for two reasons. One, she was here to get rid of the on looking visitors. Two, because he hadn't seen her in three days. He was actually almost worried that she'd never be seen again.

 

            Levi peeked out from his wings and sure enough the crazy brunette with glasses was shooing everyone away and out. He found himself unfurling his wings, stretching them. It was just Hanji and him now. The atmosphere was calmer. Hanji approached him in her same attire, messy brown hair in a ponytail, glasses, lab coat and over exaggerated expressions. She unlocked the door to the cage and waltzed right in. Not once was she ever afraid that he'd kill her, he could do it- easy, but for some reason he didn't. Well he couldn't say it was a bad decision or not but he was still alive, so he guessed that she was doing him some kind of good. She close the cage door behind her. This didn't really make sense to Levi considering that he was shackled and everything. She greeted him with a big smile. “Oh, hi Levi! I see everything is going great.”

 

            “Tch.” _If this is what you call great, then yes I'm fantastic._ “Hello, Hanji.” He looked up from his spot on the ground. “What are you doing in here?” _And more importantly,_ “Where were you this whole time?”

 

            Hanji hunched down to Levi's level and sits on the floor with him. She adjusts her glasses, “What? I can't 'Hi' to my favorite person?” Person. One of the reasons Levi tolerated her. Hanji never once told or thought of him as a mutant. She spoke to him as though he was normal.

 

            Levi shrugged. “Well I have some news for you. You may have already heard-” Levi had a feeling of what she was going to say, “There's an auction coming up... Tomorrow.” _That fucking early?_ He hadn't expected it to be so soon. Levi nodded slowly waiting for her to continue. Levi was slightly anxious to know, even though he was getting a bad feeling. “And I'm sure you know that you're the main attraction.” She then said a little more quietly with sadness in her voice, “You'll be sold to the highest bidder...” She didn't have to express how wrong this was, Levi already understood.

 

            That's it. The moment he was waiting, living for. He was doomed. Levi gazed at the ground with a lifeless expression. But wait. This was also a golden opportunity. He felt something rise inside him and glancing back up at Hanji, it seemed she knew as well. She smiled excitedly and clasped her hands, “I knew you'd catch on.” then in a low enthusiastic whisper, “This is probably the only chance you're going to get Levi. I'm going to help you.”

           

            Levi couldn't believe this day was coming. Finally. _Finally,_ he would be free of this shit hole. He would be able to leave. _Fly away and be free, free in terms of being sold to someone, but more free than now._ Hanji may be a crazy scientist but she is a smart crazy scientist. Speaking of Hanji, she was getting into his personal space. “Levi... I have a plan.” She paused, “You'll be free... and when I say free, I don't mean just leaving here.” _Is she actually going to-?_ “You won't be sold... I'm going to break you out and set you free Levi, just like you should be... But first,” She stood straight up, “Let's get you ready.”

 

            “Get ready?” It was a simple question. Levi found himself standing up. He had so many more questions. Ready for what? What did she have planned? Will it work? Will he actually be free? Is she messing with me? In the end it really wouldn't matter because his questions would soon be answered.

 

            Hanji pulled out a small key, “I gotta make you look good for tomorrow. So you gotta clean up. What did you think I was doing the whole time I was gone?” She unlocked the lock that kept Levi inside the cage, now he had his shackles. “You got something new to wear, isn't that great?”

                                                                                                           

            Levi couldn't help but to feel relieved. They've been talking about his escape for several years now. Ever since that day Hanji mentioned that they didn't really need him anymore, he was looking forward to leaving. Hanji was a genius, she somehow manage to persuade them to sell Levi in an auction. _The greedy bastards._ Knowing that they'd probably would fetch a pretty penny for Levi. Though Levi clearly remembered being told, more like threatened, that they would like to sell him in pieces, Hanji then proposed that it be better to keep Levi whole and alive claiming that some pervert would be more likely to buy him (besides the fact that if he was sold separately, he'd rot a lot faster. No one wanted rotting flesh, even if it did belong to a mutant). He was grateful that he wouldn't be cut into little bits, _thank you Hanji._

 

            His wings gave a little flap, “Anything that has to do with being clean, I'm okay with.” _Anything to do with escaping, that's okay too._ He was processing the information. Today wasn't a cleaning day, normally cleaning days were three times a week. Life was getting better by the moment. Not only did he get to escape and be free... but clean also? How fantastic. All Levi had to look forward in life was to be free (and clean), his dreams were coming true, or so he thought.

           

            Hanji gave Levi the key and then lead him to the showering room. They passed twelve guards along the way. The same twelve that watched Levi like a hawk to prey. _Ironic because he's the one with wings, they were not._ The ones that helped keep him imprisoned here. Had there been no guards Levi would have made his escape a long time ago. _Curse their weapons._ Levi could take on three guards. He was strong enough, sure. _If they fought fair...but we all know that when you have a weapon, you use it._ But certainly not twelve. He learned that lesson in his youth.

           

            Besides his wings, the only other place he got to be alone in was the showering room. Technically Hanji was supposed to be watching him but she knew he wasn't going to do anything. The deal was that if he behaved, she wouldn't have any reason to stay. Thus gaining his own privacy. It was nice being able to wash and clean himself without being watched by pondering, sometimes hateful or perverted eyes. It was disgusting really. People were disgusting. He despised all people with exception of Hanji. Sadly she was literally the only one he talked to. Talk about small world. _Really small..._

           

            Today- Tomorrow was going to be different. He was finally getting out. Free. His mind was lost in these thoughts, it was what kept him alive most of the time (besides Hanji). The hope to get the fuck out of the cage he called home and break out of the shackles that became his friends was ferociously strong. With Hanji’s key in hand, he was able to unshackle himself from the shackles that were on his ankles, wrists, and neck. Not having shackles was a blessing, maybe soon he'd know the feeling of them gone all the time instead of just when he took a shower. Levi proceeded to strip off his clothes, (his torn and dirty clothing, how could Levi live with this condition? _Filthy_.) he tucked his wings in and stepped into the shower.

 

            Levi could pull off the 'normal' look when he tucked his wings. It was like they melted into his back, disappearing from view. It must have been some mutant power that allowed him to do this. His back was smooth. The only signs of disturbance was the scars that replaced where his wings had been. They looked like upward cuts, much like wings that were open and overlapping each other. Tucking them made him uncomfortable, yet comfortable. Uncomfortable because he wasn't use to the feeling anymore. All this time he had been forced to keep them out, that or punishment. After all, he was for show. He felt comfortable because he got sore from his wings being out too long.

 

            By now Levi had also learned that there were never hot showers nor long showers. You get in, and get out. That's it. So like any other day, he did as such. A quick shower. He stepped out and found that his old clothes were taken, new ones in their place. _Must be the new ones Hanji got me._ Levi took a moment to sort through it. Everything was made out of nice fabric... but it wasn't going to cover much. Everything was black. Thigh high socks- _stockings? What the-? Garter belts too?_ Everything was different from his usual attire. Very strange. Everything seemed fit tight and move right with him. Seeing how he had nothing else to wear, he had to put everything on. He felt so exposed. The socks were long, the shorts were shorter, not to mention tighter, than Levi would have liked, and the top wasn't much different. There was a hole in the back, right where his wings went. He unfurled his wing. Perfect. They fit _perfect._ No awkwardness at all. _Sick._ He cringed. Levi had a hunch, he could feel it in his gut that something was off... Or was this all a part of Hanji's plan? He sighed and put on his shackles. Guess he'd have to wait and see.

 

            Levi had just walked out of the showering room when Hanji grabbed his arm, “Just on time Levi. Like always.” Levi was confused and somewhat irritated that she was touching him. Her hands better be clean.

           

            “Hanji. Wait. Why the fuck did you give me this ugly outfit? What's going on and why are you-?”

 

            “There's no time to explain Levi.” She led him back to his cage, for the last night there, “Do you trust me?” It was all happening so fast.

 

            Levi shrugged, “I'm not sure, but you're all I got right now so I'll put my trust in you.” What was going to happen? Levi was getting nervous by the way Hanji was acting. It wasn't like her to be this way.

 

            Hanji nodded, “Alright Levi.” That being said she pulled out a syringe from her lab coat, “I'll see you tomorrow...” She poked Levi's arm before he could stop her. Immediately Levi's vision blurred.

 

            “Hanji...” Levi faltered losing his balance, everything including Hanji was fading into black.

 

            “Please forgive me...” Was the last thing he heard before he hit the ground, unconscious.


	2. Levi is Auctioned (and sold)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy to have this done early but the consequences are that it is somewhat shorter. Nothingless! :3 Please enjoy. I had extra time and the chapter kinda wrote itself.~ I'm really excited to see where it goes and I hope it takes off~! Ha.... get it? o.o

Levi is Auctioned

 

►►▌

 

 

            _Cruel._ This world is cruel. Levi awoke with a jolt. He knew that there were several things wrong. He wasn't in his cage. There wasn't really even a cage. Just glass all around him which was almost in his face. Levi got up but was stopped less than half way there. He was able to get on his knees. He could only move his hands several inches above the ground before they were stopped by the chains. His heart started to race and his wings gave a desperate flap. _What the fuck is going on?_ Levi didn't like this one bit. He watched as two guards were walking by, talking, but Levi couldn't hear them. He couldn't hear anything outside the glass cage. Levi, claustrophobic by the lack of space. The air was being provided from a vent in the ceiling. Levi had no hope to even get near it. He couldn't even touch the glass because of the chains.

 

            _Thud!_ Levi jumped slightly and turned his head as much as he could. It was Hanji. She was saying things, practically yelling them it seemed. It was kind of muffled. Levi couldn't comprehend a single thing. Levi didn't start to worry until she started to cry. _Hanji is crying... Why?_ Levi felt worried by this. She said several other things as she cried and then slowly moved away from the glass. She gave a small wave. As if this was her last goodbye. She turned to leave. “Hanji, wait where are you going? What's going on? Don't leave. Answer my questions.” It was no use, she couldn't hear him. Levi pulled on the chains until his skin turned red. It was all frustrating.

 

            The ground shifted and Levi's glass cage sunk into the ground. It wasn't actually sinking into the ground. It was a machine lowering the cage down to the next floor. Everything was pitch black and soon as the cage was settled onto the ground, lights blinded Levi from all sides. Levi naturally shielded himself. When his eyes adjusted he frowned at the horrific sight. People, tons and _tons_ of people. They were everywhere. All of them dissecting Levi with their eyes. Levi almost felt naked in their presence. His 'clothing' felt like scraps. He wasn't use to so many people in one room...

 

            Luckily, no one could see Levi's innermost turmoil stirring inside him. People should consider themselves lucky to see any expression at all. His face was always deadpanned other than a slight frowning. He watched as figures moved closer to his cage. _Masks._ They all had _masks_ on. “Tch...” Levi felt angry at this. _Why the fuck are they wearing masks?_ Probably because they are participating in illegal business, obviously. Everyone was allowed to see his face, but he couldn't see theirs. In a way, it was a good thing he couldn't see their faces because if he did, Levi would take the time to memorize them... Just so he could tear them apart later when he got out.

 

            Look at them... All looking at Levi like he was the animal. They themselves were animals, hiding behind their own animal masks. _Filthy. Disgusting. Animals._ Their attention was suddenly taken by a man in a suit, a scientist that Levi recognized. He was announcing something and everyone was listening. The bidding had just begun. To think, one of these terrible people were purchasing another human...mutant. Like he was some slave. Beneath them. Which was the case considering Levi was on his knees, hands on the ground, looking up. (He was short as it was, this was just plain cruel). Levi felt small, as if the ground had become quicksand and was swallowing him whole. He despised this feeling of being lesser than them... _weak._ He knew he wasn't. Levi was- _Is_ better than these _scum_ that were called people.

 

            There was a sudden shift in the room. People were leaving. Levi only could guess that the bidding was done... _What happened to Hanji's plan?_ The room was on the verge of emptiness when the glass lifted up. Merging into the ceiling where Levi had originally came from, Levi was left there chained to the ground. It made Levi nervous, his wings gave a little flap. Sadly the cage was the only thing that protected him. His wings could only do so much.

 

            Levi looked around. _Were they just going to leave him here?_ It was starting to get uncomfortable just waiting on his knees (the stockings couldn't help with the hard floors) and Levi was sure that the floor wasn't clean. Click. The small sound reached his ears. _What was that?...it came from behind_ \- Levi turned his head over his shoulder. He came face to face with someone who had eyes of the ocean and messy brown hair. Levi gasped and pulled back, he hadn't been expecting that. He was sure he just had a heart attack. _Where the fuck did he-? Was he there the whole time? What-? How?_ Before any of those questions could be answered, he had to stop himself from smashing his face into the ground. Pulling away that fast was a mistake because his hands only could go a couple inches. Fortunately, Levi managed to turn his body enough to land on his shoulder, which didn't hurt at all.

 

            “Oh, sorry! Did I startle you?” The man- no, Levi was sure that he was a teen or something because he definitely looked like a brat. _He has no mask._ “Are you alright?” He put his camera away, crouched down and was reaching for Levi.

 

            “Tch. Don't fucking sneak up on people like that.” Levi said in irritation, the brat seemed to wince at what Levi had said. _And stop acting like you care._ Levi flinched, his wings flapped, well one did, the other was pinned on the ground slightly under him. “Don't touch me, brat.” He hissed trying to gain enough balance to sit up again.

 

            Levi watched the brat frown, “I'm not a brat. I'll have you know I turned 21 earlier in the year.” He paused looking at Levi with determined eyes, “I'm Eren.” _Eren._ He smiled brightly as if this was a good thing. Levi was annoyed by his stupid smile. _Why is he smiling anyway?_ Wait... Levi rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. _Of fucking course, I was sold to a brat._ This place was really like hell, _never_ ending.

 

            Levi finally was able to sit up. He cringed at the brat who was known as _Eren._ His wings extended into a stretch. Levi watched as Eren had this wide eyed expression that could only be described as innocent and gullible. His eyes seemed to flood with curiosity as he watched Levi’s wings flex. Maybe escaping would be possible… But maybe, _just maybe,_ Levi would get along with this human. He was taking him away from this hell hole... Quite possibly something could work out. After all, birds can’t be caged forever.

 

            “Levi.”


	3. Levi's New Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! :D You guys need to get excited because I put Eren's point of view in here...~! x3 It's going to be great from here. By "great" I mean... Tons of shit will hit the fan.... Sometime...Eventually. xD
> 
> Hey~ ! Hey, guys....! Guess what day it is... o.o Update day~! :D

Levi’s New Home

 

◄◄▌

 

 

            _Dark._ The room was dark. Dim lighting made it hard to see but what made it worse was the masks. Everyone had one. Identities concealed. Eren knew he should have been ashamed to be here. Ironically, here he was. In fact this was the second time Eren had come here. Yesterday was his first. Eren still had the feather that he took. He knew he should have felt bad after the small man moved away from him, but Eren couldn’t help it. His feathers were smooth, soft, long elegant, a tad of fluff and strong. One was black while the other white.

 

            One good reason to come back, besides seeing the small man again, the auction. Simple as that. Despite everything telling Eren that this was a terrible idea, he couldn't help but to feel that he _had_ to do this. He wanted to _have_ him. He had to get a better look. Thus, here he was moving his way to the front of the crowd. Eren was astonished, couldn't believe it. There he was, _scandalously_ dressed. His hair was ruffled and messy likely because they kept him caged as if he was an animal. Despite that, the position made him look submissive, fuckable and _so hot_. Eren wiped his lips just to make sure he wasn't drooling. He could feel his cheeks burn from the lust boiling inside him. _That's it._ Eren glanced around the room and then turned his attention from the glass cage to the auctioneer who was about to start the bidding. _Damn I missed his name..._ Eren huffed in annoyance, _That's fine because I will have him and he will be mine. I'll just ask him myself._ He found that his bold determination was rising, towering over his lust.

 

            The bidding started and Eren had his eyes on the prize. He leave with the small man even if that was the last thing he did. Though Eren did cringe when the bidding ended almost at a million dollars, he smiled wide because he met his goal. Eren couldn't wait to take him home. After the bidding was over, the room seemed to be clearing out. Eren was going to walk up to his new prize when he was interrupted, he was pulled into another smaller room that was empty.

 

            “Hey, what the hell?” Eren straightened himself out and looked at the person who brought him in here. It was one of the other bidders. She had her messy brown hair in a ponytail and was wearing a lab coat. She took off her mask, “I'm sorry to pull you in like this... But I really need to talk to you.”

 

            “About what?” Eren was polite enough to let this woman speak before dismissing what she had to say.

 

            She put her glasses on, “First off, my name is Hanji. I just have a couple quick things I need to tell you about the auction you just won...” Her face seemed gloomy and sad, Eren couldn't fathom why. He kept quiet and let her speak. “You know the small man in the cage? Today was the day he was supposed to be free... That auction I had plan to win so I could set him free.” Eren realized that he was the reason for her failures. She folded her arms up to her chest and stared at the ground.

 

            Eren felt this small pang of guilt, but that didn't change anything, he still had won the auction. Eren took off his mask, “Listen …Hanji? I'm sorry I ruined your plan but I paid good money for this. I'm not giving him up so easily...” _Why did that sound so greedy?_

 

            Hanji nodded with understanding, “Then could you please take good care of him... He's like a child to me, though he couldn't be because I'm pretty sure we're around the same age... I helped him through the hard times, gave him medicine, shooed people away from his cage...” Hanji seemed to be attached to her winged friend, “What I'm trying to say is that he's been stuck in a cage all his life and this was his chance to be free for once...” Eren didn't know what to do, he defiantly wasn't just going to let him go. He didn't want to spend that much money, only to have it wasted. “But I know that's money that you'll never get back so...” She pulled out a key, “I have to give you this. It's the key to all of his shackles.” She hesitated as she handed it to Eren and then pulled out her business card, she also handed that to Eren, “Just take care of him and if you need any help or something, call me anytime, any day.”

 

            Eren didn't know why, but this lady came off as very friendly. “You know, Hanji... Perhaps I will give you a call. By the way my name is Eren.” Who could refuse help? Plus chances are she knew a couple things about the small man, “To be honest I was actually going to take the shackles off anyway... They're also unappealing- too many as well.”

 

            She sighed as though she had been holding her breath for several minutes, “I'm so glad we're on the same page!”

 

            Eren smiled, “That being said, could you give me a few tips? You know, I don't want to make a bad impression.”

 

            She nodded, her gloomy face had turned into a bright booming one that made her eyes twinkle, “Sure thing! Let's see... Oh! Just know that he can be sarcastic and can seem like a grump. Let him get to know you and I'm sure you'll be fine. Make sure to let him have his space and don't touch him unless he wants you to. I got punched once for hugging him.” Hanji spouted information like a waterfall, “He's pain tolerant. Oh~! And he's short! Don't say anything unless you want to die.” She giggled as if it was a joke, “One more thing- actually a couple more things. His wings are sensitive so he doesn't like his feathers plucked, but he likes when it they are pet. Believe me when I say that he won't admit to it. He is stubborn. If he seems stressed, rub his back where his scars are, well that is if you can get to them, they are right where his wings are. If you _can_ get to them, he should relax... and perhaps get a little too comfortable...” Her voice was softer as it went. “Just take care of him.” She repeated for the second time.

 

            Eren swallowed, that was a lot of information to absorb. “Thank you Hanji... Really.” to which she nodded enthusiastically. “Don't worry,” Eren smiled as he opened the door, “I _will_ take care of him... Wish me luck.” With that he left the woman in the room and closed the door behind him. Eren pocketed the card and he walked up to the small man who was forcibly crouched onto the ground thanks to the shackles. Eren quietly as he could, got near him, he was very unsuspecting. He seemed to be looking around, which made sense because there was no one else in the room. Eren lifted up his camera. _I have to capture this moment. Click._

 

            Everything happened in a blur after that. He turned his head and was startled. He reacted so quickly, pulling back that he fell over onto his shoulder. “Oh, sorry! Did I startle you? Are you alright?” Eren put his camera away and crouched near him, he wanted to help him up.

 

            “Tch. Don't fucking sneak up on people like that.” He seemed irritated and flinched as his wings flapped, well one did, the other was pinned on the ground slightly under him. “Don't touch me, brat.” His voice was low and deep, that sent goose bumps down Eren's spine. His voice seemed to fit his appearance.

 

            “I'm not a brat. I'll have you know I turned 21 earlier in the year.” He paused looking at the small man, his determination swelling, “I'm Eren.” He smiled brightly to which Levi seemed more annoyed. _Boy, he really is a grump. Hanji was right._

 

            Eren watched him calmly, giving him space just like Hanji recommended. He sat up, wings extended into a stretch. _Marvelous..._ Eren couldn't help but to watch his wings intently.

 

            “Levi.” _What a sexy name._

 

            “Levi...” Eren pulled out a key, “What do you say I get you out of those shackles?” To which Levi looked into Eren's eyes with his piercing gaze. He nodded.

 

►

 

            To say the least, the journey to Eren's home wasn't a great one nor a terrible one either. Levi had to wait several long antagonizing hours Eren's car, but he kept calm. (Just because he spent his whole life in a cage didn't mean he couldn't be civil.) His wings had to be tucked the whole time otherwise they'd get in the way. Levi felt more comfortable with them tucked anyway. For most of the ride Levi tried to sleep. _Tried._ After a while he just gave up and looked out the window, looking at all the buildings, people and whatever else they passed.

 

            Eren was driving through a forest-like area. It wasn't exactly a forest, yet not really in the middle of town. From what Levi could see from his window it looked like there was a small lake, trees, and many hills. The ride was quiet and Levi was just taking in the scenery that is until Eren said, “We're here.” He pulled up to a decently big house. It was white with large windows and a gray roof. There were four steps that lead to the porch and a decorated brown door.

 

            Levi got out of the car and was in awe of how peaceful this place was. He had fully expected Eren to be the type to live in the city. This was a pleasant surprise. He got out of the car and was met by a light breeze. Levi watched as birds chirped and flew by. Butterflies waltzed around the flowers. Two squirrels climbed a huge tree. The yard was well kept with not a single weed in sight. _Nice._

 

            “I take it you like it?” Eren was on the other side of the car getting some of Levi's things, which wasn't much, and some things that Hanji had given him. He peered over towards Levi with a grin.

 

            “Yeah... It's nice.” _More than nice...Holy fuck._ This was much better than he expected it to be. _Hell, why did this place have to be so nice?_ Levi watch Eren take some of his things, whatever Eren didn't get Levi grabbed.

 

            “You can even fly around if want. Just don't leave the property.” Eren said as he fumbled with his house key. He unlocked the door and led the way in.

 

            “But I don't think I can fly...” Levi said as they set everything down.

 

            Eren frowned and placed his hands on Levi's shoulders, “You can't fly... If you never try.”

 

            Levi froze for two reasons, one because Eren was touching him and what Eren just said did make sense... but why was he encouraging it? Isn't Eren afraid that he'd fly away? “But what if I try to escape?”

 

            Eren grimaced, “Are you thinking about escaping?”

 

            “To be honest, yes I was.”

 

            “Then why haven't you?” _Good question smart ass._

 

            “Because... you haven't given me a reason to...” Levi said uncomfortably. _But that doesn't mean I'll trust you._ He removed Eren's hands from his shoulders. Eren had unshackled him... was going to let him live _here._ He was giving Levi so much freedom... Eren wasn't hitting him, throwing things at him, swearing, or forcing himself... So far everything was so ridiculously _nice._ It was pissing Levi off because it was so nice. He had no reasons to leave... Or to even want to leave. _For now..._ Levi wanted to stay.

 

            “I'm glad you feel that way, Levi. Welcome home.”


	4. Levi Cleans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh... xD This chapter is longer than the first chapter.... O.O
> 
> Anyway~! This is Levi's first step towards "normal" :D You'll see... read what I mean.
> 
> :D Enjoy!

Levi Cleans

 

►

 

            _Soft._ The bed Levi had was incredibly soft and comfortable. Levi stared up at the ceiling unsure of what to do with himself. Eren had left shortly after they had gotten Levi's things into what was now Levi's room. He sat up and looked around at his plain room. The room was simple with white walls, a full size bed, a closet and a dresser.

 

            Levi got on his feet, he was curious to see the rest of the house. He exited his bedroom and made his way down the hall. There were a total of four doors up here, two were locked and besides Levi's room, the other door that opened was the bathroom. Levi then walked down the stairs. When he reached the bottom, he saw the entrance, walked past it and went into the living room. He could now take in more details of the house. The living room had a leather couch, it was the first thing Levi saw. Admittedly it was also the first thing Levi sat on, testing it. Comfortable. It would be easy to clean. _Clean._ It was clean... Levi got up from the couch.

 

            Levi was quick to search the house. Oh, he's been waiting for this moment. Oh, yes. Finally. Levi could dictate whether it got done, how it got done. This was exciting. Levi found what he was looking for in a closet. Everything he could ever want and need... was right here. Cleaning supplies. Levi lived in a clean cage- for fucks sake this house would be clean too. It _will_ be set to Levi standards of clean. Levi snatched up as many different cleaning products as he could. His first victim was the living room. Oh joy, it was clean, probably cleaner than it has ever been. After the living room it was the kitchen, then the bathrooms, the laundry room (he even wash some of the clothes), his room and dining room. It was when he was passing the kitchen to put the supplies away that he spotted a door. _I must have missed that somehow._ Levi set his supplies down and made his way to the door. It wasn't locked. He opened the door and saw the stairs that lead down to the... basement? Levi felt his feet work their way down the steps, curiosity pulling him down.

 

            Turning on the light, Levi cringed to see what he found. There were cameras, here, there, _ugh_ everywhere. It was like a studio or a photo shoot. There were even those fancy lights. He remembered reading about them before. _Thank you Hanji._ Levi didn't feel comfortable here but he still wanted to look for some reason. He stared at the cameras, the set, the whole room in general. _Eren must be some kind of photography person... perhaps he also had models that came over?_ Levi could tell that this room should be clean but... he also felt that he shouldn't touch anything.

 

            What was interesting was the costume display. There were all kinds of weird things hanging up. Looking through the costumes, most of which reminded him of the ones he had on. He made a mental reminder to change when he went back up stairs. He made it to the last costume when he saw out of the corner of his eye, something _moved._ Without thinking Levi hid behind the rack of costumes. He paused listening for noise, a sound, anything. Nothing. There was _nothing._ Just him. Levi cautiously got out of hiding place and _there it was again!_ Levi flinched. _It_ moved too. _It_ was starting to look more like a person. _It_ was copying Levi. _It_ scowled at Levi mockingly, just the same way he did. And to Levi's horror, _it_... was him.

 

            He found himself breathless as he approached himself. _Mirror._ That's what it was, a full length one. Silly to think that he had been afraid of his own reflection. Reality was harsh when he came to realize that he had never actually seen what he looked like until now. His eyes scanned his reflection, cold eyes meeting cold eyes. Levi felt _hideous_ and _disgusting._ He not only looked like a mess but was dressed like a... like some kind of prostitute. That's not all, his hair was uneven too. Oh, he would fix _all_ of this. He couldn't believe that he lived this way and looked like _this_.

 

            _Wait._ There was something he had to see. The things that made people stare at him. The things that made him different. The things that were called _wings_. The wings that were tucked in his back. Levi turned around so that his back was facing the mirror. He could see what everyone else had been seeing. All of him, all of Levi. He frowned at the scars on his back and gave a low hum when he brushed then with his hand. Those scars were right where his wings were, that crossed each other evenly. This was the moment. Levi watched carefully as he untucked his wings. They were tucked ever since he got into the car with Eren earlier. It would have been a nice feeling to stretch them had Levi not been so... shocked? He had no idea how to express his feelings (he never had). He watched them expand elegantly, beautifully. White and black, feathered harmony. Levi took several minutes to gaze at himself before he felt uncomfortable again. He decided to turn off the lights and head back upstairs. It was time for a change.

 

            He opened drawers and cabinets in the kitchen, he didn't find what he was looking for. He spent ten minutes looking for scissors and found an electric razor in the bathroom. He stood there, in front of the bathroom mirror, brought the scissors up to his face. _Cut._ There goes one strand. _Snip._ There goes another. With every swipe from his scissors hair fell. Levi parted his hair. He turned on the electric razor and with a low buzz, Levi started to shave off hair from his head.

 

            After Levi swept the floor, he found himself in the laundry room. He shuffled through the clean clothes, refolding most of it, looking for something to change into. Levi was tired of wearing practically nothing, plus, he wanted to take another shower. He had hair bits everywhere. He settled for some plaid pajamas that were red, black and gray. A quick dash up the stairs, light steps in the hall, Levi was in the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and took off his- whatever clothes. He opened the shower curtain and froze. There were _two_ handles. Levi knew what this meant. Hanji told him about this before. Levi stepped into the shower and turned the handles on, and for the first time in Levi's life- he had _hot_ water.

 

            Ten minutes later Levi came out smelling like strawberries and soap. He dried himself off with a towel and then slipped into the pajamas that he brought. _I'm sure he won't mind. After all, I have nothing else to wear._ Levi folded his towel, unsure of what to with the clothing he wearing, he folded them and laid it on the end of his bed. Levi then walked down the stairs. _Eren has been gone for a long time... Where did he go?_ Levi shrugged, _Why should I care how long he's gone or where he went._ Levi fell onto the leather couch, sitting up straight, getting comfortable. It was peaceful here. Would it be peaceful with Eren here too? Guess he'd have to see if the brat was worth befriending.

 

            From where he lay on the couch and the way it was positioned in the room, he could see the front door. _I could go. Now. Leave and not come back._ Freedom was literally right outside the door and it was all too tempting. Nothing was stopping him. No one was here... He could get away with it, but... _Where would I go? I don't know where I am. How would I survive?_ Levi felt conflicted, he wanted to go, yet, he wanted to stay and see if everything would work out. Maybe if he found Hanji, she'd help him? The problem with that is... she's annoying and _won't_ shut up.

 

            The couch by now had sucked Levi into its possession, he didn't mind. It wasn't like he was going to get up anyway because _damn_ it was comfortable. Levi leaned into the arm of the couch closing his eyes for a moment, his newly cut hair brushed lightly against his forehead. He brought a hand up to his much shorter bangs and brushed his fingers through his hair. Yes, this was _much_ better. Levi brought up his legs and settled more against the arm of the couch. The legs of the pajama bottoms were slightly longer than his own legs, thus when his feet met the couch, he didn't feel the leather, he felt the fabric of the pajamas. It was nice and all being this comfortable... but where the fuck was that brat? Levi immediately dismissed the thought of Eren. He at last had a chance to have some alone time, might as well enjoy it. So that's what he did.

 

▐►►

 

            Eren had a long day, it was exhausting. He finally could return home. He didn't mean to be gone for so long but Hanji talked his ear off, he had to go shopping for Levi (though he really didn't mind). Thanks to Hanji he had several things for Levi to wear and also some tea. Said items were in the back of the car. Eren parked his car and got Levi's new clothes, unlocked the door and walked into his home. It was _awfully_ quiet in the house. _No, did he run away?_ Eren set the shopping bags next to the door, closing it behind him and- Eren gasped, _Who's- Is that...Levi?_ If it was, he was sleeping on the couch, huddled, leaning on the arm. _Are those my pajamas?_ Eren smiled at the amusing sight. Eren's pajamas were at least one or two sizes too big. Eren pulled out one of his camera’s, turned off the flash and then took a picture. He then put the camera away.

 

            Getting all the food he bought and leaving the clothing items behind Eren heading for the kitchen. He went quietly because he did want to wake Levi yet, he brewed up some tea. According to Hanji, that was his preferred drink. Why was he going through such lengths to please the short man? Because he didn't want to cage Levi. He didn't deserve to be trapped for his whole life. Out of everything Hanji said, that was the part he agreed with that the most.

 

            To Eren's surprise... Everything, literally _everything_ was totally clean. Spotless. _Wow._ _That was also something Hanji mentioned, wasn't it?_ Levi liked- no, _loved_ to be clean. His space _always_ had to be clean and if it wasn't cleaned right, he'd make whoever fucked up, redo the whole thing. He would have to find some way to thank Levi. Quietly, Eren walked out into the living room and set down the two tea cups on the coffee table. Levi was still asleep on the couch. He looked so handsome, Eren decide that he liked the undercut that Levi now had. It seemed to match his personality. He kind of looked like he should have been a soldier. Eren chuckled, _like a corporal._

 

            It wasn't until Eren sat down did Levi stir awake. He seemed drowsy and sleepy. Levi rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and then jumped when he saw that Eren was sitting next to him, “Good afternoon, sleepy head.”

 

            Levi eyed Eren questioningly, “Were you watching me sleep?” He sat up straight, his expression unchanging. Emotionless.

 

            “Just a little,” Eren said honestly, “I brought you some tea.” He said as he pointed to the coffee table. Two hot cups just sat there, waiting. Levi looked at Eren and then the cups skeptically as if deciding Eren would poison him or not, “Levi, I promise they are not contaminated. The cups are clean, I swear. I have you to thank for that.” Eren paused awkwardly, “So… uh, thanks.” Levi only nodded in acknowledgment then lean forward and picked up his tea cup. He placed the cup to his lips and sipped his tea, testing it, once he decided it was fine he began drinking it wholly. You'd think that he'd burn his tongue, but no, he didn't. One thing Eren did wonder was how could Levi be comfortable holding his cup like _that?_ It didn't seem right but Eren shrugged the thought away, it didn't matter that Levi held the cup weird, it only mattered that he was drinking his tea.

 

            It was quiet for a while on the couch and it was starting to get awkward. Eren glanced over at his tea cup and then back at Levi. It was weird to think that this was the same Levi. Was he really the one in shackles just earlier today? Levi suddenly made a noise that sounded like ‘Tch’. Eren looked up and was caught by Levi’s glare.

 

            “What? If you’re going to stare then take a damn picture, it will last longer.” His steel gray eyes met Eren’s, they looked sharp and threatening. That was when Eren realize he had been staring at Levi. How could he not? Levi looked so… _Different._

 

            “Sorry. I just…” Eren cleared his throat nervously, pointed at Levi and then rotate his finger, “What made you decide to do… _This?_ ”

 

            Levi cringed, “If you think I’m going to strode around in almost nothing, or even naked, you are _painstakingly_ wrong.”

 

            Eren felt the heat rise to his cheeks causing them to become pink. How could someone be so blunt about that? “N-no. That’s not what I meant. I was talking about” He reached over towards Levi’s hair but stopped when Levi flinched. Eren saw Levi’s face change for a moment, so brief, and then change back to his monotone face. _Was that-? Did he just look scared for a moment? Is he scared of me? Did I do something wrong, or is that just his way of showing that he doesn’t liked to be touched?_ Eren put his hand down, “I meant your hair… It’s so short- I mean, you cut it, why?”

 

            Levi suddenly brought his hand to his hair, “I cut it because I don’t like it long, I never did.” He brushed his hand through his longer strands of hair. Eren could see how the undercut was perfectly cut all the way around, even on all sides. Levi’s eyes shot up to Eren’s eyes, “Why, does it look bad?”

 

            Eren shook his head, his pink gone from his cheeks, “No Levi, I actually like that a lot better than what you originally had.” Then he smiled at Levi, “It looks good on you and I think it suits you very well.” Levi seemed to relax from Eren’s comment. “Oh, if you don’t mind, I went shopping today and the bags are next to the front door. Could you bring them upstairs and put them in your room? I got you a couple things.” Levi’s brows furrowed, cautiously he nodded and got up. Silently, he pulled up the pajama bottoms as he walked out of the room.

 

            Eren didn’t know how long he had been sitting on the couch but it had been quiet for at least thirty minutes before he actually got up. He picked up the two tea cups. The one that Levi had was empty, whereas Eren had been too distracted by Levi’s new appearance that he had neglected to even sip his tea. After he dumped his tea, feeling slightly guilty, he placed the cups in the sink. Eren decided that he’d do the dishes tomorrow and then turned to leave the kitchen. He made it upstairs and saw that Levi’s door was still open and the light was still one. “Levi?” Eren called out as he opened the door slightly. He spotted Levi folding one of the new jeans that he got.

 

Levi looked up upon hearing his name being called, “Hm?” He put his new jeans in the dresser then shut the drawer when he was done. It seemed that he had folded everything. He was done.

 

            Eren shrugged, he actually didn’t even know why he was here, “Just checking up on you I guess.” Eren hesitated, “Wait. You wouldn’t want to come with me tomorrow, would you? I was going to go down town, I have a few errands to run. I mean, it may not be fun but at least you won’t be stuck at the house all day.”

            He watched as Levi seemed to be contemplating if he should go or not, upon coming to a silent agreement with himself Levi nodded. “Sure…” Then he was silent for a while but he looked like he wanted to say something more.

 

            “Okay we’ll leave after breakfast.”

 

            Levi fidgeted with his hands and then glanced from the ground to Eren. He blinked, “Thanks… for you know, everything…”

 

            Eren noticed how he seemed uncomfortable but he didn’t think Levi would answer him if he asked why. He let it slide. _Maybe he's just not used to my home yet or maybe he’s nervous._ Eren shrugged, “No problem Levi. Goodnight.” To which Levi just nodded in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now officially, Levi looks like... Levi. (With the exception of his wings)
> 
> ...and always incredibly attractive... and in this fic, very cute ♥o♥ But then again, when is he not?
> 
> I just can't get enough of Levi. xD
> 
> Thanks for reading! :o :D


	5. Levi's First Taste of Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is mostly fluff but there is plot to it! :D - some angst (minor)
> 
> It's cute~! ♥o♥
> 
> Enjoy~!

Levi’s First Taste of Freedom

 

▐►►

 

 

  1. Levi had been tossing and turning all night, he hardly got any sleep. It wasn’t the bed’s fault. It really was comfortable but for whatever stupid reason he couldn’t stay asleep. It was probably because his mind was a storm of raging thoughts slamming in his head with ferocious fury. _What if he is just tricking me? Luring me into a trap. Is he trying to befriend me? What does he want from me because I have nothing to give._ Thoughts like those overwhelmed him like a sickness spreading through his body, plaguing him.



 

Finally the morning came, Levi got up and out of bed. Eren’s pajamas sagged slightly which irritated Levi. _No wondering I couldn’t sleep, I was wearing this all night._ Although he knew he was just making up an excuse, trying to fool himself. Was it wrong to want everything to be okay? To work out? Was this _normal?_ “Tch.” Levi went over to his dresser and opened the bottom drawer slowly. _So it really wasn’t a dream? That brat actually did buy me clothes._ Part of Levi was thankful, it was nice getting something decent to wear, but the other part of Levi was dreading this. _Does he think clothes will make me trust him?_

 

            Levi started picking out something to wear. In the end he slipped on clean bowers, socks, a black graphic tee, and some skinny jeans. He liked the way everything fit. Nothing was too tight or too loose, just right. He didn’t feel exposed, just comfortable. When he was done, he walked into the bathroom. He could hear echoes of steps going down the hall. Eren was up too it seemed. He checked himself out in the mirror, seeing how exactly everything fit around him. Levi then brushed his hair, making sure his hair was parted perfectly, aligned and straight.

 

            His feet fluttered down the steps, he could already smell something being cooked. He made his way to the kitchen where the smell was coming from. He saw Eren hovered over near the stove. “What are you making?” By now Levi was next to him, curiosity brought him there. Eren made a little yelping sound which shocked Levi. How could this brat be startled of him? _Levi_ was the one who was a nervous ball of wreckage, though you could never tell, his face remained emotionless as always.

 

            “L-Levi?” Eren turned to look at Levi, his face turned into relief, “Holy crap, you scared me. I didn’t even hear you come in.” He opened a cabinet looking for plates.

 

            Meanwhile Levi looked down into the pan, “…So what did you make?” He had no idea what he was looking at. “I have never had this before.”

 

            Eren looked like he almost dropped his plates, “Wait, so you’re saying that you’ve never had pancakes before?” His mouth was open. _Was it something I said? These are pancakes? What. The. Actual. Fuck._ Levi thought to himself.

 

            Levi frowned, “Um… no? Should I have _pancakes_?” He asked awkwardly.

            Eren looked like he was going to burst as he set the plates down, “Yes, I didn’t make them just for myself and I don’t know if you’d be offended if I made you eggs…”

 

            “Eren, I’m not a bird. I won’t be offended, trust me, Hanji tried.” Levi picked up one of the plates and got himself pancakes. Levi received a scowl from Eren as he looked at his plate, “What? I’m starving and I didn’t get to eat yesterday.”

 

            “You didn’t eat? Why didn’t you tell me? I could have brought something home.” Then he muttered, “No wondering you’re so thin.”

 

            “Not necessary.” Levi waved Eren away with his hand, “I had a cup of tea and that was good enough for me.”

 

            “But-“

 

            Levi stopped and then his eyes shot up to Eren meeting his. “Look… I don’t want you buying me things…” _Stop being so fucking nice._ “I have nothing to give back in return.” Which brought up another thing on Levi’s mind, “Besides, where the hell do you even get your shitty money from anyway?”

 

            Eren had went quiet for a moment and Levi was beginning to think that he struck a nerve when Eren said, “I inherited it… From my father and mother… My father died two years ago and my mother died when I was ten…” He grabbed his plate and piled several pancakes on it, “My father was a scientist and he owned his own company… Since I was too young to take over the company it was passed to someone else. Since the company is still in my father’s name, I still get some of the profit. But that doesn’t matter. My passion right now is photography.” He smiled lightly, though Levi could tell that Eren was bothered by the fact that his parents were dead, “I work with a modeling company called the _Scouting Magazine_. So that’s why I have cameras with me all the time. I even have a studio in the basement where I bring my clients and we do a photo shoot, I can show you if you want.”

 

            Levi shrugged as he led the way out to the dining room, “No… I already seen it.”

 

            “You did?” Eren sounded surprised, “When?”

 

            Hesitating, Levi sat down and answered Eren’s question simply, “Yesterday when I was cleaning. I didn’t touch anything -well except for some of the costumes- but I didn’t know if I was allowed to touch anything. So I didn’t clean anything.”

 

            Eren nodded, “Okay that’s fine. Those cameras down there have to be clean in a special way anyway.” Levi cut a piece off of the pancakes. He looked at it suspiciously, saw Eren already eating, and then took a bite. _What’s this? It’s… Sweet?_ Levi had very few sweet things in his life, most were things Hanji snuck into the cage. In all honesty loved sweets. Maybe it was because he never got it often. Maybe it was the way the sweetness was awaking his taste buds this early in the morning. Goodbye crap that the scientists called food, hello actual food. Levi ended up finishing his pancakes before Eren did. It was good, he couldn’t help it.

 

            “Holy… Looks like someone like someone likes pancakes.” Eren smiled and leaned on one arm, his head resting on his palm.

 

            Levi looked up bashfully from his plate. “Yeah…”

 

            He watched Eren who also was watching him, “I could show you how to make them if you want.”

 

            _Cooking?_ That would be a good idea. Cooking would be worth it. _I could learn how to do it and then I wouldn’t have to rely on anyone to make me food._ Levi was interested to learn how to cook in general, “Just pancakes or will you teach me other things to cook as well?”

 

            “Of course Levi, I’ll teach you how to cook.” Eren said simply. _But was it really that simple? Why was it? Why was he agreeing so easily?_ This irritated Levi. He knew that people didn’t just do things ‘out of the kindness of your heart’ because that’s just bullshit.

 

            “Eren. Why?”

 

            Levi watched Eren’s expression change, “What do you mean? _Why_ , what?”

 

            “Why are you… _nice?_ ”

 

            “Nice?” Eren paused, “Am I not supposed to?”

 

            Levi only shrugged, observing Eren carefully, “Maybe.”

 

            Eren frowned, adjusting in his chair, “Now why would you say that?”

 

            Levi suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He felt Eren’s eyes on him. Levi didn’t like that. _Stop staring._ He turned his head thinking that maybe if he turned his head the feeling would go away. He was wrong, it only made the feeling worse, the feeling intensified. Levi could feel his skin crawl causing goose bumps.

 

            “Why don’t I ask you why you act that way. Why do you look away? Do you not like me or something?” Levi heard Eren’s chair scrape against the ground. It was unnerving. “See, like you are now. Look at me when I’m talking to you, would you?” Eren was starting to sound upset. Levi unexpectedly felt hands on his shoulders. His breath hitched and he closed his eyes, expecting the worse. Levi was _waiting._ Waiting for something. To be hit. Pushed around a bit. Yelled at. Something. _Anything._ But it didn’t come.

 

            “Open your eyes.” Levi sat still for a long time, then slowly his eyes fluttered open. He saw Eren’s face, mere inches from his. It was uncomfortable. “Tell me Levi… Why are you shaking?” Then Levi could see it, in Eren’s eyes, the worry. _He is actually worried?_ Levi inhaled a slow breath. _I was… shaking? But I didn’t notice._

           

            Levi suddenly felt heat around him. He had been too shocked to realize that Eren had embraced him. Too shocked to realize that he had in fact been shaking. Too shocked to realize that tears had found their way down his cheeks. Levi didn’t understand what was happening. Why was he breaking down? Now? Of all of the times? _Why can’t you leave me alone?_

 

            “Because you’ve been alone your whole life. It’s time for you to be free.” Eren said into his ear. It took Levi a moment to realize that he had asked that question out loud. _How does this brat know what shit I’ve been through? That’s just it, he doesn’t know shit. But why?_ Levi felt like this meant something more. But what?

 

            While Levi had been lost in his thoughts, Eren started to pull away. Levi felt a rush of cold hit him. _No._ Instinctually, Levi grabbed onto Eren with a grip that he hadn’t used in a long time. He wasn’t ready yet… to let go.

 

            Then Eren muffled into his ear, “Don’t worry Levi, I won’t treat you like those animals treated you.” Levi found that he had stopped crying by now and his shaking had stopped as well. He didn’t feel stressed anymore. It was weird because he felt _relaxed?_ How could that be? And then he felt it. Eren’s hand sliding up his back and down again, _gently_ brushing against his scars. How did he know? How did he know that it calmed him? _Was it Hanji who told him?_ All that he knew now was that he didn’t want it to stop.

 

            What sounded like a small whimper escaped Levi’s lips, “B-but they’re not animals… I am the animal. The beast they put in a cage-“

 

            “Levi stop it.” Eren said sternly, cutting Levi off, “I don’t want to hear any of that crap from you.”

 

            “But, I’m not human.”

 

            Eren stayed quiet for a moment before he spoke, “No, Levi you’re human.”

 

            “Eren, I have fucking wings that sprawl out of my back. You can’t-”

 

            “Stop arguing with me.” Eren interrupted Levi again, “You won’t win this Levi.” He pulled away slightly and Levi could see Eren’s eyes once more, “Listen Levi and listen well.” Levi frowned but nodded slightly and Eren continued. “You are human. You are just like anyone else. Yeah, you have wings, but don’t look down on them. They are beautiful and they make you unique. _Different… Special._ Your wings are a part of you, so just except that. You can’t please everyone…” Levi was shocked by all of the things Eren was saying. No one ever had told him these things, not even Hanji. Eren wasn’t done, “If you weren’t human, you wouldn’t have emotions. You _have_ emotions and if that makes you a monster then everyone is guilty including me.”

 

            Levi’s voice was caught in his throat. He found that he had to open and close his mouth a couple times before he could actually find his voice, “Alright,” Levi was giving in but he didn’t really feel like he believed it all the way.

 

            It seemed that Eren could tell Levi didn’t agree, “Fine, if you’re going to be that way… Then I’ll just find ways to make you remember. Even if that means I have to tell you every day. I’ll keep reminding you until you believe it.” Levi looked into Eren’s eyes which were staring straight back into his eyes. Diverting his gaze, Levi couldn’t handle being stared at for much longer so he hid in the nearest place, he nuzzled into Eren’s neck. Now Eren couldn’t look into his soul. He hid his face while pressing his body into Eren’s. He already felt warm, his cheeks especially were bothering him but just this once, he’d swallow his pride and allow someone to be this close to him- unguarded. He could feel Eren’s arms, tighter now, around him. It was nice. _Nice._ And then he could feel it again, Eren’s hand brushing against his back around his tender spot where his scars were, very softly.

 

            “A little higher.”

 

            Eren stopped, “Higher?” and then he seemed to understand. He giggled softly, “Alright, here?” He asked ask his hand went up about two inches.

 

            “Nnnh… y-yes.” Levi breathed in slowly and then bit his lip.

 

            Levi felt Eren press a little harder. He didn’t mind not one bit. He felt like he was falling apart, melting into his chair. “Do you really like it when I do that?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            Eren smiled- or at least that’s what Levi sensed, “Good, I’ll do it more often then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is ironic, yes? It is leterally Levi's first taste of freedom... x3 Who knew that it would be pancakes~!
> 
> Those feels though... (/;o;)/
> 
> -cries- I love you Levi~! Be happy!
> 
> OH AND CHECK OUT THE VIDEO I MADE FOR LWoF~!
> 
> https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B5sV4WvVohKiSDJuZ1Q1ZGY3cHc&usp=sharing
> 
>  
> 
> ________________________________________________________________________________
> 
> The official video for LWoF :D
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLEMxPWgYMs


	6. Levi Goes Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is so long~ xD  
> I have a feeling that there will be other chapters just as long...  
> Gah~  
> Enjoy~!

Levi Goes Out

 

►

 

 

            After breakfast that morning, Levi forced Eren to hand over his plate so he could do the dishes. At that moment Eren went to get dressed. Both were quick to get done and soon found each other heading for the door. Eren stopped in front of the door and halted Levi while he was at it. “No Levi, you’re not going like that.” He stated.

 

            Levi was beyond confused, “What? What the fuck are you talking about?” He moved away from Eren slightly.

 

            “Shoes.” Eren pointed at Levi’s feet, “Where are your shoes?”

 

            Levi shrugged, “I don’t know. I don’t remember getting shoes.”

 

            Eren’s brows furrowed, “Levi, they’re were with your clothes I left them-” Eren looked by the door, “By the front door. Why didn’t you take them?”

 

            Frowning, Levi shrugged, “You told me to take the _bags_ upstairs to my room… you didn’t say anything about boxes… Let alone shoe boxes.”

 

            Eren rolled his eyes and started laughing. _Laughing. At me?_ Levi crossed his arms as Eren picked up two boxes, “Pick one.” Levi looked at both boxes, one was smaller with geometric designs on it, while the other was bigger but it was only black. His curiosity provoked, Levi opened the bigger box thinking, _what kind of shoes could this have?_ And to Levi’s surprise, there were boots inside. They were made out of what seemed like leather. The laces wrapped in a zig-zag design. Levi liked them. He pulled them out slowly, examining them carefully. “Levi, go ahead and put them on.” Eren was giggling slightly.

 

            “Why are you laughing?” Levi stared at the boots in his hands, then Eren who was smiling.

 

            “Because. You should have seen your face. Your eyes got big and lit up. It was kind of cute, really.” Eren scratched the back of his head.

 

            Levi cringed. _Who the fuck does he think he is calling me… Cute…_ “Tch.” Levi sat on one of the steps and pulled one of the boots onto his foot. Then he slipped on the other boot. He looked up at Eren, not sure of what to do.

 

            Eren tilted his head slightly, “What? What is it? Tie your shoes so we can go.” Levi bit his lip as he picked up the laces of his right boot. “Levi?” He watched as Eren crouched down in front of him. “Do you not know how to tie your shoes?” Levi didn’t answer. “Levi.” Eren emphasized his name but this time Levi made eye contact with Eren, his eyes fell down in defeat. _So fucking embarrassing._ Eren sighed and took the laces out of Levi’s hands. Levi felt Eren’s hand brush against his. They were warm unlike his. However Levi moved his hands away. Sure Eren’s hands were warm, but that didn’t mean he was going to hold or touch them for any longer than he had to. _Would that even be right?_ Besides, Levi still wasn’t use to all of this contact. He liked his space. “Haven’t you had shoes before?”

 

            “No.”

 

            Eren finished the right boot and then started working on the other boot, “How come?”

 

            Levi watched Eren tie his left boot, “I usually walk around barefoot. I just… they never gave me any probably because they thought I would either cause myself harm or someone else harm.”

 

            Eren stood up straight and held out a hand to help Levi up, “Then I’ll teach you how to tie your shoe next time.” Levi considered taking Eren’s hand, he was uncertain. _But what would be the harm?_ Levi extended his arm and grabbed Eren’s hand. He helped Levi to his feet.

 

            Standing up was like a whole new feeling for Levi. It felt _good_. He could feel the boots around his feet, they fit snugly, yet gave enough room that he could wiggle his toes. He felt confident walking around now. He rolled his ankles and the boots would practically move right with him. He even took a couple steps to see how they worked when he walked. _Flawless._ Levi liked these boots. Levi liked _his_ boots. “Thanks. They fit.” Levi’s brows furrowed, “How did you know what size I wear? And my clothes too?”

 

            “I called Hanji yesterday. Remember how I left right after I just dropped you off? Well, I went shopping and Hanji provided me with what size fits you the best… She was more than willing to give it to me… And then she gave me the rest of your documents.”

 

            “ _My_ documents? What do you mean? What is on them?”

 

            Eren seemed slightly hesitant to answer but sure enough, “Basically it was your medical history and stuff…”

 

            “Oh.”

 

            Opening the door, Eren led the way out, “Well come on, let’s go. We can’t waste the day away.” Levi nodded and followed Eren out of the house. He closed the door behind him. He followed Eren to his car, got in the passenger’s side and fastened his seat belt. After Eren did the same, he turned on his car and at last they were on their way to town.

 

▐►►

 

            Levi peered out the window as Eren drove. They were in town now. There were more buildings here, more cars, and more people, more _everything._ It was different. _Louder. Stinky. Disgusting. And gross._ “How can people live in this filth?” Levi asked as Eren parked the car. They were in a parking lot right now. But then again, he didn’t live in the best conditions for most of his life. Who was he to say this was disgusting when he himself was _filthy_ in his own way?

 

            “You think this is dirty? Just wait until you see a big city.” Levi followed Eren onto the sidewalk. “You’ll just have to get over it because we’re going to be uptown all day.”

 

            Levi shrugged to Eren’s comment. “Like I could go anywhere anyway. Where would I even go? I don’t remember the way home either so you’re my only way back.” _Besides, I’m curious._ Levi quickened his step to catch up with Eren _,_ “Alright, where are we going?”

 

            “To my work.” Eren said in a cheery voice, “My boss told me that he has new cameras they want to try out. He asked me if I’d like to be the first to try them. That’s why we’re going there now. I’d also like to know this month’s theme. Every month has a different theme…” Levi found himself tuning out on what Eren was saying. He was distracted by something that smelled _delicious! What is that?_ Levi stopped and turned his head, trying to find the source of the scent. He found it. A bakery, that’s what it was. Levi couldn’t read the sign from here, which caused his interest to spark. It smelled _sweet_ and Levi couldn’t figure out what else he was smelling but it smelled good too. He didn’t even realize Eren was still talking to him until he was waving his hand in front of his face, “Levi? Well obviously you weren’t listening to what I was saying.”

 

            “Sorry.” Levi frowned, “I didn’t mean to…” He pointed to his source of distraction, “There’s a bakery. And whatever they’re making there smells good.”

 

            Eren chuckled, “Do you want to go after I get done inside?” They continued walking for a while until they came to what looked like a three story building.

 

            “Yeah but we just ate.”

 

            “That doesn’t matter, we can always just look.” Eren opened a door for Levi. Reluctantly, he went in first. He walked in gazing around with his stormy eyes. “Oh Levi, you can wait here. It shouldn’t take me longer than a minute” He smiled and gave Levi a small wave. Levi watched him go. Deciding to sit down, Levi found an empty chair near the door. It was pretty quiet despite the fact that there were several people in the room.

 

            Levi waited patiently for Eren to come back. He wasn’t in any rush to get anywhere. Besides, he was being entertained by two people who just walked in. It seemed that they were talking about their next modeling gig. The taller, long face male with amber eyes had his arm around the slightly shorter brunette with freckles. The taller male, who reminded Levi of those horse photos Hanji would show him, seemed to be telling the brunette something that made him blush and squirm. He watched as the door opened and a short blond male, who could have passed for a girl, came in. They greeted him and a few words were exchanged. After their small talk the freckled male and the male who looked like a horse left, leaving the blond by himself. He seemed to be looking for something, no, someone. Upon not finding what he was looking for, the petite blond male looked over to the seating area. Levi accidentally made eye contact with him and quickly diverted his eyes but it was too late. The blond male approached Levi with a smile on his face and sat in the empty chair next to Levi.

 

            He heard him clear his throat and then said, “Good morning sir.”

 

            Glancing over at the blond male who was trying to be polite, “Morning…” Levi said hesitantly in his impassive voice. He wasn’t use to people wanting to talk to him… Other than Hanji and now Eren too.

 

            “I haven’t seen you here before, do you plan on working here or something?”

 

            Levi merely shook his head, “No, I was waiting for… a friend.” _Is that what he is? Well I can’t call him my owner or master…_ Friend it is.

 

            “Oh, because I thought for sure you’d be here for the modeling position that just opened up.”

 

            Again, Levi shook his head and scoffed, “What makes you think I’d be interested in modeling?”

 

            The blond shrugged, “I didn’t mean any offense by it. I just figured you could apply. I bet you’d even get the job if you did.” He sounded like he was trying to convince Levi into applying. However Levi didn’t like the idea. He didn’t like cameras so why would he get a job that involved them? And who said he was getting a job?

 

            “Me? A model? I think not… I don’t think I could do it.”

 

            “Why not? I’m sure if I asked my best friend, he could get you hired.”

 

            Levi was about to move away from the petite blond male when he heard a familiar voice, “It’s because he’s camera shy, Armin.” Levi looked up and there was Eren standing in between him and the other male. He sighed in relief. Levi didn’t want to be bothered by the blond who was known as Armin. Him and his pestering questions.

 

            “Hey, Eren!” Armin smiled, “Isn’t today your day off? Why are you at work now?”

 

            “I got a new camera.” He pulled out said camera from its protective case, “See? Isn’t it great?” He handed Armin the camera. Levi couldn’t resist a peak at it too. The camera was mostly black with the exception of its colored buttons. Said buttons seemed to cover half of the camera. “Levi, I see you met my best friend Armin.” Eren smiled. _So that’s what he meant by ‘I’m sure if I asked my best friend, he could get you hired’._ Eren was Armin’s best friend. With that information, he concluded that Armin and Eren work here, Armin was a model. Perhaps one of Eren’s models? The interesting fact was that Levi was sure he could have gotten a modeling job if he wanted without Armin’s help. All he had to do was ask Eren. But obviously, that was _not_ what he wanted to do.

 

            “Levi.” said Armin, “It’s nice to meet you.” He extended his hand out to Levi who hesitantly grabbed his hand. They shook hands and Levi was very relieved when it was over. _Germs._ Other than shaking Armin’s hand, it didn’t bother him to meet someone new, it was bound to happen eventually. Wasn’t this a _normal_ thing that _normal_ people do? But it was also okay to be alone, right? Levi liked his space. Space was good. _Company._ Now that was a new concept. It used to be Hanji was the only company he’d have. Who knew that his walls were slowly cracking? Opening for others to come in yet so small, Levi couldn’t see it. Besides the walls, his wings was his last layer of defense, only one was meant to pass through. Interestingly enough, Eren had passed them just this morning, no wings to stop him… No defense.

 

            Eren put away his camera, “Sorry to cut this short Armin, but I have a couple more errands I wanted to get done with Levi.” His eyes shot from Armin to Levi.

 

            Armin nodded and up stood up, “Alright, I’ll see you two later.” He smiled as he waved goodbye. Eren and Levi watched him leave, and then when he was out of sight Levi stood up slowly with a perplexed expression.

 

            “What is it?” Eren asked.

 

            Levi shrugged and cringed slightly, “I don’t know… is everyone that friendly?” He looked over at Eren. _I don’t understand you people._ “I don’t get how he can be nice to a stranger. He doesn’t know me. For all he knows I could have been some pedophile who likes to kill children’s parents.”

 

            Eren started laughing hard, “Levi, your sarcasm is hilarious.” He cleared his throat trying to get rid of the small giggles that still refused to stop, “Besides, even if you were a pedophile, this would be a terrible place to look for children. No kids work here. And you don’t kill parents… do you?”

 

            “Tch. No, of course not.” Levi said, a small ghost smile prying on his lips. “But I’m pretty sure teen-aged looking brats work here.”

 

            “I’m not a brat.” Eren scoffed but he wasn’t mad, “Whatever, Levi. If it makes you feel better, not everyone is as nice as I am. Hell, if I wanted to, I could have been a complete douche to you.” He crossed his arms and Levi could feel his ghost smile slipping into a frown, “I could have kept you in your shackles and left you at home all day. I didn’t have to buy you clothes. I could have had you stark naked walking around the house with only your shackles.” _Was that a threat?_ Levi felt his heart sink, he felt himself wanting to shrink. _Disappear._ This wasn’t fair.

 

            “B-but you won’t… will you?” Levi swallowed slowly, his nerves getting the better of him for a moment. “Because I told you I wouldn’t strode around naked. I refuse to.” He said firmly.

 

            It was quiet for a moment, Eren seemed to be thinking about something. Eren furrowed his brows, “Of course not Levi. I never did plan on shackling you. I wouldn’t do that to you.” His lips perked up into a smile, “I’m not _that_ kind of pervert.” His voice seemed to be teasing and playful which confused the fuck out of Levi.

 

            Levi tilted his head slightly, “Then what kind of pervert are you, one that has a fetish for wings and men?”

 

            Instead of answer his question right away, Eren headed for the door, “Let’s go to the bakery.” He opened the door signaling for Levi to exit. After he did Eren continued, “I guess you’ll have to find out Levi, won’t you?”

 

            “Indeed.”

 

►

 

            _Holy shit._ It smelled fantastic in here. It was even fairly clean. Despite there being a decent amount of people in here, it was relatively quiet. Levi let his nose lead him to the baked goods. The smell of bread was strong, but the sweets were stronger, almost intoxicating. _Intoxicatingly delicious_. Levi found his mouth was watering. “New loaves of bread, come get them while they’re fresh and hot!” A petite woman yelled out. Her hair was strawberry blond and eyes blue like the sky. Levi watched her walk quickly to the bread shelves that were right in his direction. She was shorter than him and pretty. Suddenly, she tripped over something. Too fast she seemed to be falling but she caught her balance at the right moment, however that didn’t prevent one loaf to fly from the tray. It flew at Levi fast enough that he just reacted, he caught the loaf.

 

            The lady gasped, “Oh my goodness. I’m sorry!” she grunted and turned her head, “Aurou! The stupid floor board tripped me again! You need to fix it before someone really gets hurt!” She looked back at Levi, “If you want, you can keep that loaf, free of charge.”

 

            The bread in Levi’s hands was warm and it smelled heavenly. He looked at the petite lady with the tray of bread. She started to put the bread on their rightful shelves. “Are you sure? I can pay.” That was a lie, but he was sure that Eren would pay for it. _I’ll just pay him back somehow._

 

            She shook her head as she placed the last loaf on the shelf, “No, no. I’m serious. Keep it. After all, you did catch it. Had you not, it would have fell to the ground and that would have been a waste.” She smiled.

 

            Levi hesitated, “Oh. Fine. Okay, thanks…?”

 

            “It’s Petra.”

 

            “Petra.” Levi repeated, “Thanks for the bread. May I have this wrapped or something?”

 

            She nodded, “Sure, just a second, I’ll be back.” Petra left with her tray, leaving Levi by himself. Levi wasn’t sure he liked waiting because he felt this disturbing feeling that someone’s eyes were on him. It bugged him. Levi was paranoid to the point where he glanced around. _There._ It was another man on the other side of the room, really tall and blond. But when Levi glanced his way the man diverted his eyes as if he wasn’t staring. It was all too obvious. Levi could tell when people stared. It was _annoying._

 

            A tap on the shoulder attracted Levi’s attention, “Levi? What are you looking at?” It was Eren, he smiled at Levi, “Bread? Did you want to buy it?” He asked confused.

 

            “No need, the lady that works here, Petra, she said I could have it.” Levi said simply.

 

            Speaking of Petra, she returned with a bag for the loaf, “Here you are, sir.” She smiled as she handed Levi the bag. Levi had a feeling that her smiles were genuine. It seemed to fit her.

 

            “Just call me Levi.” He said as he took the bag, “Thanks for the bag.”

 

            Petra covered her mouth with her hands, “Really? _Levi?_ Levi.” And then she saw Eren who was standing next to Levi, “Eren? Hey, how are you? Did you want anything?”

 

            Eren shrugged, “No, I already got something. I’m waiting for Levi.”

 

            She then looked from Eren to Levi, “Oh, well don’t let me keep you here. Go have fun, you two!” She waved and giggled at Eren and then Levi and headed back towards the kitchen. Levi couldn’t help but to wonder what Petra meant by ‘Go have fun, you two!’. He looked up at Eren wanting to ask but he bit his tongue.

 

            “So, where to next?”

 

            “I was going to go to the store and get some groceries. Plus, I thought about getting you a phone so that way you can contact me and anyone else if you need to.”

 

►

 

            It was a short drive to the store Eren mentioned, maybe five minutes from the bakery. As Eren parked the car he turned to Levi, “If you want, you can wait here because I’m just warning you now that there probably will be a lot of people.”

 

            Getting out of the car, Eren mimicked him as he did so, “I’ll be fine.” Levi said stubbornly, “Don’t worry about me.” With a small ‘okay’ from Eren, they walked into the store together. Irritatingly enough, Eren was right. There was a _lot_ of people. Men, women, elderly, and children, you name it- they all seemed to be here in the store, right now. The sight was also disgusting. They were _touching_ things. They touched things that others have touched and so on. What was worse was the fact that the _children touched_ stuff too. Levi cringed, “Don’t these people know how _filthy_ this place is?”

 

            Eren sighed, “No, Captain Clean, I’m sure they don’t and unless you feel like enlightening them, can we continue on?”

 

            “I guess. Why are you asking me? You’re leading the way, brat.” Eren rolled his eyes when Levi called him brat. They continued down an aisle and Levi purposely chose not to look around. This place was gross. He didn’t want to look around because of it… and well as much as he wanted to deny it… there was a _lot_ of people. He found himself slightly nervous. Trying to ignore the feeling, he stayed close behind Eren. He almost didn’t realize that Eren had gotten a cart.

            Throughout most of the store Levi just stayed quiet while Eren did all of the shopping. Eren got all of the groceries and now they were in the technology section. It was bordered by the clothing section and toys. Levi watched as kids ran by followed by nagging parents. He watched an adolescent couple hold hands as they walked into the clothing aisle. He watched people pick up items and set them down again.

            “Hey Levi, pick one.” Eren called his attention, he turned to see small square shaped thingies that were known as cell phones. _Pick one… Which one?_ Levi peered at all the different types of cellular devices. _Let’s see…_ He pointed at one that was black, very sleek and smooth. It looked nice. “That one?” Eren asked and Levi nodded. They were passing the clothes when Eren piped up, “Hey, wait here by the cart. I want to go check something out. Will you be fine here by yourself?” Levi nodded, though he wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to be alone. Well at least now he had a new phone… that he didn’t know how to work.

            After Eren left it seemed like hours- no days were passing by. _He’s taking forever._ Levi bit his lip. He had this uncomfortable feeling, that same feeling as earlier. _Someone is watching me._ He felt his skin crawl. Sure enough, Levi spotted the same man from the bakery. _Creepy. Is he following us?_ It seemed like he was hovering. Slowly getting closer, it made Levi’s heart race and his nerves go haywire. He felt sick like knots were bundled in his stomach. Levi found himself backing away. Soon, without thinking his feet lead him into another aisle. “Fuck.” Levi hissed under his breath. “I left the cart.” Even if it was germ infested, he needed to get it. Levi headed back to the cart and in mid-stride he stopped, his blood ran cold. That man was near the cart.

            Levi backed up and peeked behind the aisle that he was in. He watched the man as he looked at the cart and then started to look around. The man made eye contact with Levi. Turning on his heal, Levi went the other way. Levi didn’t want to be confronted by this stranger. With quick steps he moved to put as much distance between him and the mystery man. After Levi was sure he had lost him, he looked around. _Shit_. He was lost. _Where the fuck did I come from?_ Levi looked for something familiar. _Nothing._ Bringing both hands to his head and pulling slightly on his hair Levi mumbled, “Shit. Shit. I was so caught up in avoiding that guy… I… I’m fucking lost…” _Calm down._ Levi told himself mentally. _It’s just a shitty ass store… Where the fuck is Eren?_ Levi inhaled slowly. _I’ll just have to look… It can’t be that bad, right?_

            Frowning, Levi found an empty aisle. Levi could only check a few aisles before his nerves were shot. The people, that guy, the germs, being lost in a fucking store… it was getting to Levi. Inwardly, he was freaking out, caught in a fearsome storm, but his exterior showed no signs all except for the constant shaking. He couldn’t keep his hands still. Levi crouched down and hugged his knees. _Okay, I was wrong. I was wrong. I should have stayed in the car. I should have stayed. I knew it. Eren was right, I was wrong._ Levi closed his eyes and tried to tune out the store and all of its people.

            Levi didn’t know how long he actually had been sitting there or if anyone stared or if Eren would ever find him but when he felt a hand on his shoulder he jumped and let out a small yelp, “Holy fuck, Levi, I leave you for five fucking minutes and look what happened.”

            Levi’s heart raced, this time for a good reason. _Eren!_ “Tch. It wasn’t my fault. There was some stalking mother fucker that followed us here from the bakery. He followed me around a bit and finally I lost him… but I ended up lost too.” This was ridiculous and humiliating. Levi looked at the ground waiting for Eren to call him stupid or something. But it never came. He didn’t say anything like that.

            Eren sighed as he unfolded his arms and opened them, “Come here, Levi.”

            At first Levi couldn’t move, his body was too stiff to move. Finally after a long moment, his body seemed to start working again and Levi found his way to his feet. Eren’s arms were outstretched toward him. _Literally? Go to him?_ Levi’s steps were cautious as he approached Eren slowly. As soon as Levi got within reach, Eren pulled him into a tight hug. It was silly… but Levi thought that he was starting to like… _hugs_ , especially if they were from Eren. It made his raw nerves feel better, like a weird kind of healing

            “It’s okay Levi, I’m here now so stop shaking.” Eren cooed into Levi’s ear, “Next time I won’t leave you like that. I won’t ever again.” His voice was calm in Levi’s ear which caused him to shiver slightly. He felt Eren’s hands on his back, again right where his scars were, rubbing his back gently. Once more, Levi felt calm instantly. He felt like he could melt into the floor and had Eren not been supporting him, he probably would have at least fallen to the floor. The feeling was pleasant and relaxing yet made him feel weak. It was a different feeling that Levi hardly felt but found it oddly comfortable.

            After a while of just holding each other, Eren slowly pulled away slightly, his eyes flickered into Levi’s eyes, “Better? Let’s check out and go home, sound good?”

            Levi nodded, he wanted to get the fuck out of this hell hole. If there was one thing he learned, it was that stores were evil and germ infested. “Yeah, take me home.” They separated and Eren started to push the cart. Quickly, Levi caught up to him and latched onto the hem of Eren’s shirt. His hand tighten on the fabric with a death grip. Eren sent a sideways look and Levi muttered, “What? I’m not getting lost again.” Levi’s eyes darted down with his head. He looked at his boots. Eren didn’t make any comments.

            Thus, Eren had pushed the cart to the check out. Levi didn’t look up as they walked. He didn’t look up to see if people were staring. Even when he also felt the mystery man’s eyes he still did not look up in fear that he’d make eye contact again. Levi did not look up when they paid for the things Eren bought. It probably was a ridiculous sight. One grown male holding onto the other’s shirt, the other male pushing the cart. The whole time he had been holding tightly onto Eren’s shirt, he didn’t let go until they got to the car.

            On the way home the ride was peaceful for the most part, Levi was able to calm down mostly. When they reached home Eren turned to Levi, “Will you be okay tomorrow?”

            Levi tilted his head, confused, “What do you mean?”

            “I have to go to work tomorrow. I only get weekends off.” Eren said with a little bit of a worried undertone in his voice, “I can call in sick for work if you want.”

            _Oh, work… that’s right._ “No. I don’t mind being home alone. I’ll be able to get used to the house that way.” Mostly, Levi was curious. He wanted to explore the massive backyard. Possibly spread his wings and get a good stretch.

            “Okay, just don’t make a mess.” Eren’s voice was teasing.

            Levi rolled his eyes, “ _Oh_ , cause you know _I_ make messes.” Levi heard Eren laugh at his comment. He turned his head to see Eren in the middle of laughter. _Laughter._ It was everywhere… but this was a different kind of laughter. It wasn’t making fun of Levi nor mocking him. It was a comfortable, genuine, _happy_ kind of laughter. This laughter Levi was hearing more and more of sounded –well it wasn’t bad… He kind of liked it. It made him feel good inside. Though Levi couldn’t answer why, it just did. _I want to hear more of this laughter._ “Was it really that funny?”

            When Eren’s laughter stopped, he wiped happy tears from his eyes, “Yeah, I mean, imagine it. You being messy. All you do is complain about germs and stuff.” He smiled, “I could see it. All specks of dust watch out, clean Captain Levi is here!” Levi felt amused by Eren sometimes and this was one of those moments. All of a sudden Eren’s face turned into a face of shock.

            “What’s wrong?”

            “Levi… You are smiling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah~! It's so cute~
> 
> If anyone thinks that Levi is a litlle out of character then go jump of a cliff. xD  
> No seriously, you be trapped in a cage for most of your life... then go to a store. Levi has the right to flip his shit.  
> I mean, who wouldn't get nervous, especially since there was 'a stalking mother fucker'.
> 
> Got to love Levi~! He's so... I can't even describe how... AMAZING he is... how... adorable he can be. And just over all is so fun to write about.
> 
> I would take you to the moon, Levi.~ ♥o♥


	7. Levi's First Flight

Levi’s First Flight

 

▐►►

 

            _Warm._ Today was a warm day. Eren wasn’t home right now because he left for work and Levi had nothing to do. It was a little past noon and he had just ate lunch. Levi had spent all morning cleaning the house again even though it really didn’t need to be cleaned. Now he found himself outside, laying in the warm sun near the –pond? Lake? –it was one of those. The grass that supported him was a vibrant green, the flowers seemed to be every shade of the rainbow and the water was a calming shade of blue-green. Several trees docked the backyard, birds flew about chirping to one another in their friendly language. Fish swam in their underwater homes, three rabbits hopped across the lawn and, if Levi as correct, there was several deer in the woods. Quite peaceful this place was and felt. It was wonderful.

 

            Sitting here, surrounded in all of this nature was relaxing. Levi liked how the clouds were white and fluffy while the sky itself contrasted with a beautiful blue. Every once in a while the blue sky would be pierced by the butterflies or birds and one of the other insects. The birds were what Levi watched the most. He watched them in general, closely, they way they flew, the way their wings _moved_. Levi recalled what Eren had said before ‘You can’t fly… If you never try…’ _Stupid brat… raising my hopes up like that._ But Levi truly did wonder. He wanted to believe that Eren was right. Maybe he could fly… If he did try. _Stupid…_ Levi sighed, _I’ll try, but if it doesn’t work out then at least he can’t pester me anymore._ For Levi, that reason alone was a small percentage of why he really wanted to fly. There were two big reasons, one –he wanted to fly. Plain and simple. He was always curious to see if he could do it. Who knew if it would come in handy or not. Secondly –as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he wanted to surprise Eren.

 

            Levi stood up and started to unfurl his wing but quickly stopped when his shirt started to stretch and tear. _Oh yeah, there are no holes in this shirt._ Levi made a mental note and then stripped off his shirt. It wouldn’t be the first or last time Levi had his wings out without a shirt. After folding his shirt, Levi looked around the massive yard trying to figure out the best place to ‘practice’. Somewhere he wouldn’t get too injured if he failed, yet somewhere that there was more room to fly. That is, if he actually could. He found what seemed like a good spot and then stretched out his wings. They fanned out, a beautiful contrast of black and white, and Levi flexed them. They flapped fluently and fluidly. If anything, Levi was actually very proud of his wings. They really were stunning.

 

            A gentle breeze caressed Levi, flipping some strands of hair back and ruffling his feathers softly. He felt nervous because he wasn’t exactly sure how to fly. _Do I need to take a running start? Or will I be able to just take off like birds? Maybe I have to do a little bit of both?_ Levi’s eyes flickered towards a bird that flew past him. He watched it land, look around, twitch its feathers, and then suddenly take off. Levi knew that when birds flapped their wings, it wasn’t _just_ up and down movements. It was a circular motion. He inhaled slowly and expanded his wings, he was ready to try this now.

 

            Deciding that he didn’t want to die today, Levi started simple. _One step at a time._ He simply flapped his wings with force and strength to it. This felt _awkward_. After living in a cage for so long, this freedom was _different_ … and Levi liked that. It was weird to flap his wings like this because he had never done it like _this_ before. He flapped his wings harder until he thought he was ready. _Next step._ Levi rotated his wings and found himself leaning slightly forward. His feet felt like they had less weight on them. Levi’s heart raced as his feet left the ground, just an inch. He then gasped as he fell to the ground and landed on his knees. _Holy fuck! I can fly! I can do this!_

 

            With a new found determination Levi quickly stood up. His heart was still beating hard and his adrenaline was starting to kick in. He did the same thing as last time and beat his wings hard. His goal this time was to stay in the air longer. As soon as his feet left the ground he fell again. Frowning, Levi got up again. _I’m not stopping now. I will learn how to do this._ Thus, he tried again. Fail. Levi gritted his teeth. Not giving up, this time he took a head start by running. It helped. He actually glided for a while before his feet touched the ground. Levi flapped a little harder. _Up! I want to go up!_ He willed himself. His hair was waving, his heart was pounding fast, his wings beating hard. He took off.

 

            “I did it!” Levi said in shock. He was now several feet in the air and still climbing skyward. He was shaky but soon started to balance himself. He turned in the air, his wings fluttering and his hair moved with the breeze. Now that he was up here, he wanted to try maneuvering in different ways. The first thing he decided he was going to do was try to flip. First he flew straight up, he was now higher than the trees. He angled himself and curved his body. Levi then felt himself rotate. It took him a moment to gather that he did indeed just flip in the air. He felt pride in his abilities.

 

            After several hours of flying in the air, Levi had mastered several tricks in the air including diving, flips and sharp turns. His wings were burning by now but Levi ignored the pain. It wasn’t the worst he ever had but he did have to admit he was kind of tired. _One more trick then._ Levi settled on a combo trick. He soared into the air just above one of the trees in the yard. He did a flip but as soon he was upside down he was hit by a gust of wind. It threw him off balance and too soon he was falling straight to the ground. Levi tried to brace himself by slowing down. He expanded his wings to catch the wind. _Snap!_ Levi’s right wing hit a small branch and it broke. He retracted his wings close to him. Apparently the gust of wind had also moved him close to the tree. Too fast the branches were coming at him. Time to dodge.

 

            Levi flinched as he was hit by another branch. In an attempt to stop himself, or at least slow down, he tried grabbing onto a branch. His hands slipped off of two branches. Levi started to panic, the ground was getting closer but also there were fewer branches. He took the opportunity to spread his wings more. _Too fast! I’m too fast!_ Levi realized to his horror that if he was to hit the ground, it would most likely not end well. He urgently started to flap his wings hard. _I’m not dying today!_ He angled his body and closed his eyes tight, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to have the ground as his last memory.

 

            Levi hit hard with a _splash!_ He felt like he was floating. So this is what it’s like to be dead. _Well at least I’m not in pain._ Levi grunted, it was getting hard to breathe. _Since when do dead people need to breathe?_ Levi opened his eyes. He was not dead, he was very much alive. He was just under water. What a relief it was. He quickly swam to the surface, it was hard because he wings were dragging behind him. As soon as he surfaced, he made his way to land. Levi crawled onto the shore and with a gasp, he coughed up some water. He looked back at the water, he brows furrowed. _Since when did I learn how to swim?_ Levi shrugged. _Maybe it’s instinct._ _At least I’m still alive._

 

            Taking off his soaked boots and setting them to the side, Levi laid on the ground, and rest his head in the luscious grass. He looked at the sky which was starting to turn a different shade of yellow, orange, and red hues. Levi was _tired_ and _exhausted_. Today had been a long, yet successful day. Levi laid so his wings were wide open. Flinching, Levi could tell that his right wing was starting to bruise. He absorbed the sun light to dry his wings and then. Levi sighed and closed his eyes.

 

            “Levi?” Levi opened his eyes after he heard his name called. He sat up slowly and saw Eren behind him.

 

            “I see you’re finally home.” Levi watched as Eren sat on the left side him. Eren had on casual clothing. A graphic tee, blue skinnies, and converse shoes. Levi thought he looked like a teenager in those clothes but he said nothing.

 

            Shrugging, Eren turned his head towards Levi, “Yeah, it was a long day.” Then his brows furrowed, “You look like you’ve been through war or something. Let me guess. You were practicing your flying techniques?”

 

            Levi nodded, “Is it that obvious?” He asked sarcastically.

 

            Merely giggling in response, Eren leaned towards Levi, “May I?” He pointed to Levi’s wings, “May I touch them?”

 

            Levi looked at Eren skeptically, thinking about his answer cautiously. Internally he was weighing the pros and cons. Eventually, Levi decided. _What’s the harm?_ Levi moved his wing to touch Eren’s hand. This would be the first time Levi _willingly_ let someone touch his wings. Even Hanji had yet to complete the task.

 

            _Warmth._ That is what Levi felt on his cold black wing. Levi turned his head forward as he listened to Eren’s movements. He heard Eren shift, just as his hands were across his black wing. Eren’s hands were gentle as they moved through his feathers. They moved in a caressing manner often picking at something as they went. “Geez, Levi. You got leaves and little twigs in your wing.” Levi could hear Eren shift again and soon he felt Eren’s hand on his white wing, “What the hell did you do?”

 

            “I went to war, remember?” Levi replied sarcastically. He sensed that Eren’s rolled his eyes and his hands moved through his wing. So far he hadn’t touched the bruised part yet. Maybe it was because his feathers were very ruffled in that area.

 

            “Oh, ha-ha.” Eren said as he moved his hands towards the backside of Levi’s wings. His hands seemed to be heading towards Levi’s back. Levi shivered from Eren’s touch. All the other times Eren had touched his back Levi had a shirt on. Bare skin contact was quite different. Again, just like the other times, he felt like he could melt into the ground. Levi closed his eyes as Eren’s warm hand moved across his scars. He felt his wings sag to the ground. Though Levi wouldn’t admit it, he actually really liked when Eren had caressed his feathers… And he also wouldn’t admit how much he was enjoying Eren’s hand on his back, massaging his scars gently. If he had to list one thing that was bad about this situation, it was the fact that he felt vulnerable. “Levi, did I ever tell you how much I love your wings?”

 

            Levi stiffened, “No.” He shrugged, “I mean, they’re not _that_ great.” It was because of his wings that his life was this way… He wondered what would have happened if he actually had been normal, _without wings._ Levi could hear Eren move around. Levi’s eyes opened to see Eren had moved to sit in front of him.

 

            There was a glint in Eren’s eyes that made Levi slightly nervous, “Well let me inform you of what I think.” His cheeks were a light shade of pink, “I think your wings are _beautiful_ and they make you incredibly _sexy_.” Levi was going to say something but Eren stopped him. Levi’s heart was starting to race, but not in a bad way, “That’s not all… Levi, you take my breath away.” Levi turned his head and looked away. _Why is he telling me this bullshit right now?_ Warm hands found their way to Levi’s chin, they turned Levi’s head so that way he was making eye contact with Eren, “You’re so handsome that I can’t help but to stare. I couldn’t possibly take a photo of you because no matter how many photos of you I could take, none of them could ever capture you just right. Someone so perfect shouldn’t be trapped in a cage. You shouldn’t be imprisoned inside walls or even shackled. That life isn’t for you. Like a bird, you should be free. Levi, you are smart and you can make decisions by yourself, I encourage you to do so. Oh, and next time, Levi, can I see you fly?”

 

            Out of anything anyone could have said to him, what Eren said made his heart race. No one had ever said something so… How to even describe what Eren said was an impossible task. He couldn’t possibly label that. Levi couldn’t tell if it was Eren’s warm hands or if it was his cheeks, but they were burning. Levi demanded them to stop, he willed it but they seemed to ignore him. Those compliments were said so lightly without any effort at all. Clearly, Eren meant every word. Levi however, couldn’t find any words to reply with. Literally and utterly speechless, his mind was also blank. Levi could barely nod to Eren’s question. He could feel Eren’s hands on him, one on his cheek and the other sliding down his chest. He almost couldn’t register Eren moving closer to him, leaning forward. Eren pressed his lips into Levi’s.

 

            Levi closed his eyes and when they opened he bolted into a sitting position. He rubbed his eyes in shock. _W-was that…? What the fuck kind of dream was that?_ Levi’s cheeks were still burning as if Eren’s hands had indeed been there. He brought a hand to his lips. _That dream felt so real._ Levi’s hands found their way into his hair, he pulled on his raven locks. _I’m so fucked up in the head. I must be losing it._ Levi sighed and looked around. It was dark outside now and he was freezing his ass off. Levi got up and swayed a little, his head was dizzy and confused. After a moment things were clear again and he picked up his shoes as well as his shirt from earlier. Levi hissed when he tucked his wings in. They ached from being overworked. He pulled on the shirt and made his way back up to the house. Only one light was on upstairs. Perhaps Eren’s room?

 

            Opening the back door that lead into the dining room, Levi walked in. _BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_ An alarm went off which made Levi jump. He dropped his boots and bolted under the dining room table. He felt his blood run cold. The loud alarm reminded him of the alarm that went off when he was in his cage. It was the sign that someone was coming to open the cage door. Hanji was always nice enough to turn it off before entering the cage but everyone else seemed to like the way Levi shook as the alarm would go off. Then Levi waited for the dreadful noise. There it was. _Footsteps._ He heard them quickly make their way down the stairs and then into a different room. The alarm was turned off but the footsteps continued. He knew it. Levi _knew_ it. Levi could tell that the feet were heading towards him. Just like always. Just like they did before and that time before and before… and before… and before… The footsteps stopped right next to him. Then Levi felt the hand on his shoulder and he froze, knowing what was going to happen next.

 

            “Levi? Holy shit, Levi. Are you okay?” Eren’s voice snapped Levi out of his trance. Levi looked at the hand that was on his shoulder and followed it up until he met ocean eyes. Eren was in his pajamas. Eren moved a chair that Levi hadn’t realized he had knocked over and got under the table. His other hand moved some of Levi’s hair out of his face. Eren whipped some dirt off of Levi’s cheek and he gasped, “Levi your hair is wet and you have a fever.” Eren’s expression was worried, “I looked all over the house for you. I even called your phone which you left in your room. I was scared that you ran away… I knew I should have checked the back yard.”

 

            Levi cleared his throat, “M-my hair is wet because I fell into the water…” He shivered from not only the cold but from having his mini heart attack just moments ago. “That fucking alarm scared the shit out of me.” His eyes glared.

 

            “I can see that. You just tripped off the alarm.” Eren’s brows furrowed, “How did you fall into the water?”

 

            “Well…” Levi began triumphantly, “I taught myself how to f-fly.” Levi paused and silently cursed the cold, “I mean… Remember when you said I couldn’t fly unless I tried? Well I tried and I did it. _I_ did it. I can actually f-fly. I even taught myself how to do a couple tricks… A gust of wind blew as I was d-doing my last trick and I basically fell into a tree. My right wing hit a branch, but it’s okay, I only have a b-bruise. I thought I was going to die for a moment but then I landed into the w-water… That’s why my hair is still wet.”

 

            Eren smiled big, “That’s wonderful Levi. See? I told you. I knew you could do it.” He pulled a small twig out of Levi’s hair, “How about you go take a shower and then I’ll go get you some medicine for your fever.”

 

            Levi nodded. “Could you get me something for a headache? I think I’m getting one from that shitty alarm.” Eren nodded as he slowly got out of under the table. He held out a hand and Levi took it. Eren pulled Levi out from under the table.

 

            “Oh, and next time, Levi, can I see you fly?”

            Levi paused, looking up at Eren. Levi was thankful to have a fever because it hid the heat form his cheeks. Eren had said that in his dream… but the answer was still the same… even if it was a stupid dream. This time however Levi wasn’t speechless. Levi nodded, “Yeah, I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi FLIES! YAY~!
> 
> I'm SO HAPPY for you Levi~! You don't even know~!
> 
> Plot plot plot
> 
> Rollercoasters of feels will happen soon and that's all the hints I will give to you~


	8. Levi Gets Sick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry. :'(
> 
> ...don't hate me...

Levi Gets Sick

 

▐►►

 

 

            _Cold._ Levi was shivering cold when he woke up. He had hardly slept all night. He had been tossing and turning and sometimes getting out of bed to walk around the room. Levi opened his eyes and rubbed them.

 

            “I’m glad to see that you’re awake… A voice said causing Levi to jump slightly. Levi looked up to see who it belonged to. _Who the-?_ It was a man standing near the door. His arms were folded across his chest. He moved slowly and adjusted his glasses, “… and still alive Levi. Now we can talk.”

 

            “About what? What’s going on? What happened?” Levi asked confused. Levi had no idea who the man even was, yet he was sure he knew him somehow.

 

            The man seemed to ignore Levi’s questions, his face was sour with what seemed like anger and sadness, “You know exactly what you did…! I can’t believe you! After all that I did for you… you…” He wiped tears from his eyes, “I let you live here, fed you, gave you clothes… I even permit you to play with my son… You defiled him. He doesn’t trust me anymore. And to top it off..! The nerve!” The man seemed to be very angered now, his tears blinding his eyes and dripping down his cheeks.

 

            Levi was speechless, he was still very confused as to what was going on. The man was moving towards Levi’s bed now. “Wait, I don’t understand-”

 

            The man reached for Levi and grabbed him by his shirt pulling him into sitting position, “I hope you said goodbye to my son because you _won’t ever_ see him again. I’m sending you back where you came from!” He yelled as tears poured from his eyes. He raised his other hand, “I’ll make sure you don’t see the light of day again!” With that, the man’s hand collided with Levi’s face with a loud _smack_. The force of the smack caused Levi to fall backwards into his bed.

 

            Despite hitting the bed, it still hurt to fall into it. It felt like his whole body hurt, yet at the same time Levi’s body went numb. He felt _everything_ and _nothing_ at the same time. He began to shake and curl up into a ball. He covered his face with his hands. _No. Not this. I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to be caged again._ The horrors of going back to his imprisonment was terrifying. Levi’s blood ran cold, “Wait! I don’t want to go back! I didn’t mean it! I didn’t, honestly! Give me another chance!” The room was quiet as if time had stopped. After a while of silence, Levi knew that it meant one thing, he was going back.

 

            Levi sat up, ready to face the man. _Where did he go?_ The man had disappeared. Levi’s bedroom was empty again. Then it hit him all at once. He groaned. He felt _terrible_. It felt like everything hurt all at once. He was burning up, yet he also was shivering. _What the fuck? Was that a dream… or did it actually happen?_  He rubbed his eyes. Levi felt so _exhausted_ and very _sore_. Regardless of all of that he forced himself out of bed. When his feet hit the cold floor they screamed for him to stop. Levi took a step towards the door which was actually harder than it was supposed to be. The floor appeared to move, it made Levi dizzy. It was hard to focus because his vision was blurry. He was extremely light headed, he fell to the floor landing on his knees. Levi breathed in slowly and then slowly stood up once more. He used the wall for support.

 

            It took way longer than Levi had expected to get out of his room. He stumbled and battled his way out of his bedroom door. It took even longer to get down the stairs. Levi had to almost crawl down the steps to even go down them. Thank goodness railing was invented otherwise Levi was sure he would have just fallen down. And either the house was _much_ larger than Levi remembered or he wasn’t hardly moving. All of his muscles were begging him to stop. Somehow, thankfully, Levi finally managed to make it to the living room. _Damn, why is this so hard?_ Levi stumbled heavily, once again falling to the floor and landing on his knees. The floor was cold just like his bedroom floor was. It made Levi shiver.

 

            Why did the floor provide the cooling that Levi wanted for his fever? Why did he also feel like he was freezing to death? _And why the hell does my head hurt so fucking much?_ He brought his hands to his chest and folded his arms in an attempted to warm himself up. He stayed there for several long minutes but his shivering didn’t stop. So he did what he usually did when he was cold in his cage. Levi unfurled his wings. He didn’t care that his night shirt tore, no that didn’t bother him. It was the antagonizing pain that sprouted from his wings that bothered him. They were heavy like someone had strapped weights to them and they hurt as if someone pulled out his feather _individually_ and replaced them with _needles_. Levi immediately keeled over as a whimper escaped his lips.

 

            All the pain seemed to burst into fire all over his body. It hurt to move. It hurt to think. It hurt to breath. It hurt to live… Levi let the darkness take him.

 

▐►►

 

            Eren spent his last minutes at work absentmindedly cleaning the lenses of his new camera. “I see you’re getting use to you camera. Great job by the way.” Eren’s boss chuckled, “I knew you were the right person to give it to.”

 

            Smiling slightly, Eren looked up from his camera, “Yeah… I guess. Thanks for the opportunity boss.”

 

            “How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Erwin.” He sighed, “Something bothering you?” Eren’s brows furrowed in surprise and Erwin chuckled, “Eren, you’ve been acting distant all day. It wasn’t that hard to tell that something was bothering you. So what’s up?”

 

            Glancing down at his camera, Eren hesitated and breathed in slowly. He couldn’t tell Erwin that he went to an auction and bought Levi who was sick. He couldn’t tell him that he wanted to make sure Levi was better by now. No, that wasn’t something that you tell to your boss, “Well… A friend, yeah, I let a friend of mine move in with me. He’s new here and doesn’t know very many people.” Eren cleared his voice, “Well anyway, he’s sick and… I guess you could say that I was worried is all.”

 

            Erwin nodded to what Eren was saying, “I understand. Why didn’t you say so earlier? I wouldn’t have minded if you went to check up on your friend.”

 

            “Thank you.” Eren sighed, “But I’m sure he’s fine. I know he’s strong so he shouldn’t be sick for long. I mean, he just had a fever and a slight headache, that’s all.”

 

            “Good,” Erwin smiled, “I’ll see you tomorrow at work. Good luck with your friend. I hope _he_ gets better.”

 

            Nodding as he put his camera away, Eren smiled, “Yeah, thanks.” He watched Erwin leave the studio. Eren packed his bag and carefully placed his camera into it. He could finally go home and check up on Levi. It was silly to worry like this, Eren reassured himself, but he couldn’t help but to feel something was wrong. He just had a bad feeling. That also had been bothering him all day.

 

            He made his way out of his studio but he didn’t get too far before Armin stopped him, “Hey Eren!”

 

            Eren reluctantly stopped, “Oh, hey Armin, what is it?” He watched as his short blonde friend made his way next to him. He was no longer wearing his costume from the shoot. Armin was wearing a white button up, blue jeans, converse shoes and a nice blue tie.

 

            “I was wondering if you’d like to hang out and get some cake from Ral’s Bakery.” Armin smiled. _Oh that’s right_. Eren sighed and bit his lip. It had become a ritual to go to Ral’s after work. They even went yesterday. Petra was so nice to let them hang out late.

 

            “I’m sorry Armin but… I have to go check on something at home.” Eren looked down at his friend.

 

            Armin looked back up, “Let me guess. Levi right?” Armin had only met Levi just yesterday but he still remembered his name. Bless him for being smart. Eren nodded, his eyes down casted. “What? Is he sick or something?” _Bingo._ Eren nodded again. “I understand Eren. You’re worried about his wellbeing. Just text me later on how he’s doing, alright?” Armin gave Eren a little wave and went the other way.

 

            “Thanks Armin! I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” Eren turned on his heal, he was determined to see Levi now. He probably was worrying about nothing… but just to make sure. Eren walked down the hallway, impatiently waited on the elevator and was almost out of the building when Jean called out to him.

 

            “Yo, Eren.” He waved his hand in an attempt to gain Eren’s attention. Marco was trailing next to him.

 

            Eren groaned in irritation, “Sorry horseface, I don’t have time for your shit right now. Text me or something because I have to go.” Eren quickly opened the door and left before Jean could say anything to stop him. Eren found himself half jogging to his car. He carefully placed the bag in the back and got in the driver’s seat. He sped out of the parking lot and made it onto the road… only to be stopped by traffic. The forces must have been against him because he had to take a detour home. Also known as, the long way home.

 

►

 

            As Eren pulled up to his house he noticed that some of the lights were on. Eren eagerly got out of his car and then grabbed his bag from the back. He locked his car and then went up the steps. He opened the door. “Levi, I’m home!” _Silence._ Eren set his bag by the steps. “Hello? Levi?” _Still silence._ Eren crossed his arms. He felt like something was wrong. He saw that the upstairs light was on, so that’s what he checked first.

 

            Franticly, Eren looked upstairs. It was weird. He did this just yesterday. But he didn’t feel this way yesterday. Yesterday, he couldn’t find Levi, yes, but somehow he knew he was fine. Today however, he dreaded this. He wanted to find Levi and make sure he was okay. _Now._ Eren skipped down the stairs and made his way towards the living room. He stopped in his tracks. _There._ Eren could see some feathers on the ground. _Maybe he was just asleep?_ Eren shook his head to that thought. No. That didn’t seem right. _He wouldn’t sleep on the floor!_ And that’s when Eren ran into the living room.

 

            “Levi!” Eren kneeled down in front of the small body on the ground. He looked… Levi looked _dead._ His night shirt was tore and his wing were out. His black wing was smashed under Levi while his white wing was covering Levi like a white blanket. Eren leaned forward and checked for a pulse. _Barely a pulse and barely breathing._ Instinct, or maybe it was because his father was a doctor, told him that he shouldn’t move his body. Levi needed medical attention. _Fast._ But Eren couldn’t bring him to a hospital… Not with his wings out. Eren pulled out his phone. This was the next best option. He had to. He called Hanji.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold the dreaded 8th Chapter where... the rollercoasteroffeels will officially start...
> 
> Gah~! Major cliff hanger guys! I'm sorry~!  
> And the chapter is shorter but that's because shit is 'starting' to hit the fan~ So... 
> 
> Be prepared.
> 
> ALSO CHECK OUT THE VIDEO I MADE FOR LWoF~! I HAVEN'T PUT IT ON YOUTUBE YET~  
> OH AND JUST IN CASE YOU DIDN'T SEE! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON CHAPTER 5!


	9. Levi's Choice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah fuck it xD I'm Updating early~!

 

Levi’s Choice

 

▐►►

 

 

             _Heartbroken._  Eren was heartbroken at the sight in front of him. He had been very depressed all last week… and now it had carried four days into this week. Everyday had now become a routine. He’d stop by and see the same thing. Why did this have to happen?  _If only I stayed. I could have prevented this…_  Sadly, the past couldn’t be changed. Hanji couldn’t help. Levi had been too sick… Eren sighed in frustration.  _I feel so helpless right now… I wish I could have been there for him… He was probably miserable… Why?_

 

            Just like every other time Eren would visit, he’d stare miserably and then before he knew it, he’d be holding back tears that threatened to spill out. Sometimes, Hanji would come with him. Sometimes they would talk, other times they’d stay silent.

 

            “I’m sorry Eren… R-really, I am… but there was nothing I could d-do… and- and-” Hanji for once covered her mouth. Her tears became visible as she tried to speak again, “I w-wish it d-didn’t have to be this way…” Eren frowned and embraced Hanji as she started cry. He just stood there silently as she shook in his arms. It was a little gross considering she started to leave snot on his shirt but he could care less right now.

 

            Eren exhaled slowly as he looked over at the bed near them. The blankets were white. The cords created a jumble of designs and hung off the bed like threads of life. Still, Eren wondered how Hanji could even have things like this. If they hadn’t been at Hanji’s house right now he could have sworn they were at a hospital. Eren blinked and found himself staring at the small form wrapped in the white blankets. His eyes traced pale fingers which then lead to pale arms and then Eren glanced away just before his eyes passed the neck. He bit his lip, brows heavily furrowed and then looked back at the small figure on the bed. This time he looked at his face, it looked extremely, unhealthily pale. His face greatly contrasted with his raven locks. He would have looked like he had been sleeping peacefully had there not been an oxygen mask strapped to his face.

 

            There he was. Breathing, thankfully but lost in his own unconsciousness. “Do you think he’ll wake up anytime soon..?” Eren asked quietly.

 

            By now Hanji had thankfully calmed down, her crying halted into little sniffles, “I wish I knew… Technically, since I don’t have the right equipment… I can’t tell you if there is anything internally wrong with him… But one thing I could tell was that he has a concussion… He could have mental issues… Maybe memory loss… So many different things… That’s even if he is ever conscious again…” Eren frowned, he was all too aware of the things that could be wrong. He could only hope for the best. Hanji pulled away from Eren slowly, “S-sorry for making such a mess… on your shirt.” She laughed softly, “I’ll find something for you to change into.”

 

            Eren shrugged, “No, I’m fine… I was actually going to leave and say goodbye.” He pat Hanji’s shoulder and then slowly walked over to the white bed. Leaning against the edge, Eren reached his hand over to the pale face and moved some raven strands to the side. Eren sighed heavily, “Goodbye Levi, I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that Eren leaned forward and just like the other days ever since Levi had fallen very ill, he kissed his forehead. “Wake up soon.” After a goodbye from Hanji, Eren left the room and decided to go home. He would leave with a heavy heart and hope that maybe someday soon Levi would awake from his slumber.

 

►

 

            Levi peeked his right eye open. His mind was groggy. With the vision that he had, he could see Eren walking out the door.  _Why? Where is he going?_  “Eren..?” Levi mumbled out just barely. His voice was scratchy. He could barely hear himself over the sound of the monitor and the oxygen mask over his face. He shifted ever so slightly.  _At least I’m not in pain_. Levi thought thankfully. He opened his other eye and tried to focus. Levi now could tell that he wasn’t at Eren’s house. Also, Hanji was staring right at him. “Tch. What the fuck?”

 

            Hanji seemed to be in shock as she leaned forward. She approached the bed, her eyes wide, “Y-you’re awake?”

 

            “No shit. My eyes are open and I’m talking to you.” Levi’s brows furrowed as Hanji got closer. “Haven’t you heard of personal space four-eyes?” Levi watched as she stopped about a foot away from him. She was silent for a moment which surprised Levi and then he covered his ears fast.

 

            “OH MY GOSH LEVI~! YOU’RE AWAKE! YOU’RE AWAKE~! GAH! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!” She breathed and then continued, “OH! OH! I NEED TO TELL EREN~!” She practically was jumping by now with enthusiasm.

 

            Flinching from Hanji’s annoyingly loud voice, he glared at her, “Could you shut the fuck up. I’m about a foot away from you. Damn.”

 

            Hanji just smiled to Levi’s comment, “Sorry~! I couldn’t help myself! I’m just so happy you’re awake~!” She pulled up a chair next to the bed and suddenly her face became very serious. Levi could sense that there was something wrong. She cleared her throat, “But… before I tell Eren… I’m going to give you a choice. Well, actually more like three choices.” There was silence for several seconds and Levi was going to say something before Hanji spoke, “Your first choice is to stay with Eren…” Levi’s brows furrowed.  _Where could this be going?_  “Your second choice is to live with me because you’re always welcome here… And lastly, your third option, be free and live by yourself.”

 

            Levi pinched himself, he had to make sure he wasn’t dreaming, “Are you serious?” It wasn’t that he didn’t like her ideas, it was more about  _why_  is she suggesting them. So he asked, “Is there a particular reason that you’re bringing this up or are you wasting my time?”

 

            She clapped her hands together, “No, I’m actually not wasting your time. I really did want you to consider those choices because I found something out…” Hanji physically leaned forward, as if she was about to tell a secret, “about Eren.”

 

            “Tch. What the fuck Hanji? You went snooping into Eren’s life or some shit? You really are a crazy woman.” Though Levi was very curious as to what Hanji was going to tell him.

 

            Hanji smiled, all too knowingly, “Yes Levi, I thought we already established that a long time ago…” She looked down at Levi, “But could you seriously blame me? I didn’t know who Eren was. I wanted to see if he was going to actually take care of you. It seems that he has taken great care of you, which makes me happy but… It actually surprises me a little.”

 

            Levi rolled his eyes and sighed because he was impatient, “Are you going to tell me or not?” He actually found himself getting slightly nervous.

 

            “Okay. Okay.” Her eyes down casted, “Grisha was the owner of the company that kept you imprisoned…”

 

            “What does that have to do with Eren? I mean who the actual fuck is  _Grisha_?”

 

            Hanji looked up in bewilderment, “You mean you don’t know? Grisha has  _everything_  to do with Eren… After all, Eren  _is_  Grisha’s son.”

 

            Levi’s heart stopped for a moment. _Silence._  Time seemed to freeze. He held his breath.  _What. The. Fuck._


	10. Levi Decides

Levi Decides

 

►

 

            _Shocked._ Levi was shocked to hear what Hanji just said, “Eren is… Grisha’s son…” He repeated to himself. “Grisha is the man who basically kept me imprisoned there?” Levi forced his brain to start working again so he could process this new information. It slowly began to sink in.

 

            “...does that mean… Eren did this because of his father? Is he treating you nice and everything because of it…? Was his niceness a fluke!?”

 

            _Really, Hanji…_ Levi wished she would just shut up. He was well aware that Eren could have been lying this whole time. _Tricking him._ Really, Levi wanted to disregard everything Hanji was saying… but what is it was true? Levi felt his heart drop. He actually was starting to believe that he had a place he could call home. Wait. But this doesn’t make sense. “Hanji… If Eren’s father was owner of the company, then why didn’t Eren just ‘inherit’ me? How come he went to an auction? How come-”

 

            Hanji held up her hands, “Levi! Hold up. I don’t know. He could have been there for several reasons… And as far as I know, Eren’s father and mother are dead.” She brought her hand up to her chin in a thinking jester.

 

            _Oh yeah. That’s right… they’re dead._ “Now that I recall, Eren did tell me that his parents died. He also told me that he wasn’t old enough to inherit his father’s job, nor did he want to take his father’s job…” Levi wanted to believe that he was right, that Eren was good. He was just starting to trust someone. If it came down to it. He wanted Eren to admit and then he would make his choice… “Okay Hanji, I have an idea…”

 

▐►►

 

            Today was a nice day despite that the weather was starting to get cold. The leaves have been slowly peeling away from the trees as it got colder. It’s been a couple of days since Levi had been able to get out of bed. Hanji had to make sure he was okay before she let him out of bed, to which Levi was irritated at how long that process took.

 

            Somehow, Levi worked up the nerve to go to the store again. He needed to buy stuff. If he was going to keep up with everything. He needed warmer clothes for the winter and food. That was his goal and as long as people would leave him alone, Levi thought he could get it done. Though at some point Levi did wonder if the choice he made was the right one… _It’s a choice with no regrets._ Levi thought. _There’s no looking back. Don’t show fear. I need to be brave… even if I’m at a filthy store with filthy people._

 

            Levi was looking through shirts with a cringe on his face. He’d have to wash his hands later. He was looking at the designs that decorated it. They were known as graphic tees. It was a weird concept that Levi didn’t really understand, all he knew was that they had cool designs on them. As Levi passed yet another repeated shirt, he stopped and gazed at the different shirt in front of him. It was like the one Eren had worn. It was with overlapped wings and said _Wings of Freedom_ on it. Levi actually liked the shirt when Eren had worn it, and now Levi had a chance to get it. Levi pulled it off of the rack and stared at it. His memory playing in his mind.

 

◄◄▐

 

            Levi was lying in bed thinking. Just thinking. About Hanji, about Eren… Life in general and how it’s cruel and fucked up. Hanji had left some time ago and now it was around two in the morning. Levi shifted. He just couldn’t sleep with all of this processed information… Well actually that was a lie. The real reason he couldn’t sleep was because he still hadn’t decided. Hopefully his plan would work so that way it would be easier to choose.

 

            The day seemed to drag on forever. Levi found himself impatiently waiting for when Eren got off of work. Hanji came in several times already talking about nonsense and Levi found that he didn’t mind her company. That is when she was quiet. He wasn’t sure if he could tolerate any more of it. Well at least one choice Levi could get rid of. Living with Hanji was defiantly not an option. So that left two options… Staying with Eren and _not_ staying with Eren. It all depended on Eren.

 

            The plan itself was simple. Literally only one question would dictate if Levi stayed with Eren or not. For some reason though, the answer isn’t what bothered Levi. What was bothering him was the fact that he was _still_ waiting for Eren to get here. He knew that Eren should have been let off of work by now. Maybe he was too impatient… It had only been five minutes and it was at least a thirty minute ride to Hanji’s from where Eren worked.

 

            Levi’s patience didn’t have to wait too much longer before he could hear a rattle at the door. From there it sounded like a storm was making its way toward Levi. _Damn, that took him fifteen minutes. That brat must have been speeding to get here._ Levi visibly flinched when the door busted open, Eren running in and Hanji stayed out in the hallway, just as planned, “You got here fast.” Levi said as Eren ran next to his bedside. “Oi. I’m talking to you.” Eren didn’t say anything as he pulled off Levi’s oxygen mask, “What the-?” Levi couldn’t finish his sentence. That fucking brat didn’t answer him. _Shitty brat._ But it wasn’t all that bad because… Eren’s lips were pleasantly soft, warm and welcoming against Levi’s lips. _A kiss. This is a kiss. Just like the dream? Eren is kissing me? Why is he kissing me?_ Levi couldn’t even think straight. It’s a good thing that there was an oxygen mask nearby because that kiss literally took Levi’s breath away.

 

            Eren seemed to snap out of his daze and pull away slightly, disconnecting the kiss slowly, “S-sorry Levi. I just-” He cleared his throat, “I was really worried. I mean holy fuck Levi, you’re awake.” Eren wiped his eyes and sniffled softly, “I’m so fucking happy right now… Once Hanji called and told me I sped all the way here.” Eren was sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning over Levi.

 

            Looking up at the brat who just kissed him, Levi was trying to come up with something to say. Fortunately it didn’t take long for his mind to start working again, “I can see that… It’s usually a thirty minute drive to get here… You got here in half the time.” Levi pointed out the obvious. _Damn him._ Levi felt like he couldn’t concentrate.

 

            “Now we can go home. I was getting lonely at the house by myself.” Eren let out a small chuckle, “It will be nice to have you around again…” Eren spoke in a dazed voice. He seemed tired and maybe even a little stressed. Even with his beautiful eyes, shining like they always do, looked run down with the bags under his eyes. His hair was messier. If that was possible.

 

            Levi shifted slightly. Now he could ask the question that was on his mind. The question that kept him up for most of the night. The question that would decide if he stayed with Eren or not. Levi was nervous. _Maybe I should give him a chance… after all- No,_ Levi reminded himself, _I have to see what his true intentions are._ He cleared his throat, “Hey Eren, I want to ask you a question. You have to answer it honestly, okay?” _You better have the right answer dumbass._ Levi found himself irritated for no reason, just at himself.

 

            Eren’s brows furrowed and his head tilted slightly, “Oh? Go ahead. What is it, Levi?” Eren smiled as he looked down at Levi who still looked frail in the bed he was laying in.

 

            “How come you never told me that your father owned the company that imprisoned me..?”

 

            It didn’t take long for Eren’s smile to turn into a frown. The silence that consumed them, even though it was literally only a couple seconds, made Levi feel empty inside. The room seemed colder. His stomach twisted into a bundle of knots as he braced himself for Eren’s answer, “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to hate me.”

 

            “Well that’s a stupid reason. Are you serious?” Levi questioned in an irritated tone. _That’s what I worried about..? Nothing._

 

            “Hey, it’s not that stupid. How would you like it if after the auction I brought you home, then randomly added, _‘Oh hey Levi, by the way, my dad kept you imprisoned in a cage for most of your life…_ ’ How does that sound?” Levi sighed and shrugged. _Well, when you put it that way…_ “Answer me Levi, tell me how you would feel.”

 

            Levi stayed quiet for a moment before mumbling his answer. After Eren gave him a stern look, Levi rolled his eyes, “Okay. Fine. I’ll admit that I probably would have been pissed…” Levi looked at the wires in his arm and followed them until he couldn’t see them again, his eyes darted back to Eren, “But you couldn’t tell me that until now? If this hadn’t happened, me getting sick and everything, would you have told me?”

 

            This time Levi got an immediate answer, “Yes, I planned on it. I just wanted you to get used to everything.” Eren paused to think and then continued hesitantly, “When I saw you shake in the dining room, I couldn’t bear to see you that way. You were crying and everything. I waited because I didn’t think you were ready to hear it. Then I was going to tell you when we got home after being at the store… but then you basically had a panic attack. I was scared to tell you after that… Finally, when you told me that you flied, I thought about telling you then but… you had this frightened look in your eyes as I approached you when you were under the table...”

 

            “Okay. Eren, I get it. You tried to tell me and I’m a filthy ass mess.”

 

            “Don’t say that. You’re not a mess, and you if you were a mess, you’d be the cleanest mess there ever was.” Eren sighed, “But,” His voice sounded in a singing tone, “You are my mess.”

 

            Levi rolled his eyes, “I changed my mind. How about we not refer to me as a mess…”

 

            Eren smiled and shrugged, “Hey, you’re the one who brought it up.” The room filled with silence again. Levi looked away from Eren and looked at the door instead. Now Hanji was standing by the door. Eren fidgeted slightly with his hands and glanced over at Levi and then Hanji, “So when can I take him home?”

 

            Hanji opened her mouth to say something but was quickly interrupted by Levi, “Oi, brat. Who says I was going home with you?”

 

            Eren looked at Levi, confused, “What do you-?”

 

            “I’ve made my decision.”

 

►

 

            Levi snapped out of his memory. He looked around. It was just him… and the shirt in his hands. He glanced at the cart on his left side, it was partially filled. He had made great progress so far. Shopping all by himself and picking out clothing. Being independent for once was great. This was something Levi believed he’d never be doing. This was the first time he got to decide what he wore, how tight it was, how much skin showed… Hell, Levi could stay covered in head to toe with just black if he wanted… Which actually didn’t sound too bad.

 

            “Oh, you’re getting that shirt?” Levi jumped slightly at the voice. “Dang. It looks like you beat me to it... Good thing I already have that shirt. We can twin.”

 

            Levi folded the shirt and put it in the cart, “Tch. What makes you think I want to twin with you?” Levi turn around to see a brunet with messy hair approach him.

 

            “Ouch, Levi. That was mean.”

 

            “I never said I was a nice person, Eren.” Levi said sarcastically. “Be lucky that I’ve graced you with my presence… I could have lived on my own.”

 

            Eren crossed his arms across his chest and laughed, “Lucky to be graced with your presence, eh?” Eren smirked mischievously, “Are you sure you were not persuaded by the kiss I gave you? Because that’s what I think changed your mind.”

 

            Levi shook his head in denial. There was a slight, hardly noticeable pink on his cheeks, “No, I decided from the answer you gave me.” He looked away stubbornly.

 

            He received a giggle in reply. “Whatever you say Levi, whatever you say…”


	11. Levi's Interviews

Levi’s Interviews

 

▐►►

 

            _Exhausted._ Levi was exhausted. This had been the third time he was denied. How the fuck does someone get a stupid job? Wasn’t it simple? Apparently not. Shitty bosses don’t know what they’re missing out on. All Levi wanted was a stupid job so that way he could buy and pay his own things… so Eren didn’t have to and also so that maybe one day Levi could pay him back. Sadly, not everything went your way but Levi refused to give up. He was walking with Eren. He sighed as they passed the ‘Help wanted’ sign. This was the fourth time he applied. Levi probably should have given up. He just didn’t know the meaning of giving up. He might have died a long time ago if he had.

 

            “You know Levi, getting a job is hard-”

 

            “Why is it so hard to get a job?” Levi interrupted. He glanced over at Eren who let out a sigh. They were getting into the car.

 

            “Well, if you’d stop interrupting me I could explain…” Eren looked over at Levi from the driver’s seat. “Are you going to let me explain?” Levi was silent. He nodded, “Good. So…” Eren had to think about what he was going to say. “Getting a job isn’t easy because… well most people who are hiring want people with experience… and Levi, sorry to break it to you, because you have no experience. You can’t just walk up to them and say ‘ _Oh please hire me._ ’ That does usually work. Besides, sometimes you really do have to keep looking…” Eren paused, “Although, I do know one place that you could get hired at…” Levi tilted his head in a questionable manner and Eren bit his lip, “But you won’t like what I have to say…”

 

            Levi shrugged, “Let me be the dictator of that.”

 

            “Modeling. You could work for my company-“

 

            “Tch.”

 

            Eren pushed Levi’s shoulder playfully, “See? I told you that you wouldn’t like what I had to say.” Eren smiled, “But if you ever want to consider it, I could get you hired right away.”

 

            Levi shook his head slowly, “No… I’m good.”

 

            “But you could do it, Levi. I bet they’d love you.” Eren turned on the car and buckled his seatbelt, “Seriously, Levi… You’re very handsome and I don’t see why you wouldn’t try…” Eren turned to see Levi glaring at him. Levi thought it was weird that Eren could say things like that so openly. What made it worse was the fact that Eren seemed to be doing it more often. Levi didn’t really enjoy it because he didn’t like the feeling that came with it. “And also, you’re eyes are very pretty-“

 

            Levi glared at Eren, “I am not a girl. My eyes are _not_ pretty…” he muttered.

 

            “Fine then. Your eyes are very sexy, Levi.” Eren met Levi’s glare. He watched as it quickly weakened and Levi’s eyes open wide for a second. It looked like he was surprised. It was actually very cute but Eren did not say that out loud. He was sure Levi would punch him. Levi suddenly turned around to face the window. It looked like he was doing his best to hide his face. Eren chuckled. He had become used to Levi’s reactions like this. Sometimes he said things on purpose just to see if or how Levi would react to it. Oh yes, Levi was just _too cute_ sometimes.

 

▐►►

 

            It was just after noon, Levi and Eren were sitting outside on the grass. Levi was still pretty irritated that he still didn’t have a job… but he knew, he didn’t know how he knew –he just had a feeling that he’d get a job… eventually. Thus, Levi sighed and fell back into the grass. He was content with not having a job right now. It meant more free time. But it also meant more free time… alone. Levi did think about Eren’s offer to model, but Levi didn’t feel very comfortable around cameras right now. Maybe he’d consider it if he ever got used to it –and if Eren was the photographer because Levi didn’t like the idea of strange people Levi didn’t know taking photos of him. He didn’t like it when he was trapped in his cage… he didn’t like it now either.

 

            It was a comfortable silence between Eren and Levi. The sun was warm. A light breeze rustled the leaves in the trees gently. Levi glanced over at Eren who was sitting less than a foot away from him. Eren seemed nice. No, he was nice. If Levi had to say, he thought he lucked out. What Eren had said before… it was all true. Eren could have been mean. He could have kept Levi in shackles. He didn’t. That’s why Levi couldn’t help but to want to trust Eren. It was the only logical reason that Levi could come up with. Maybe it was because Eren respected Levi’s boundaries that Levi trusted him? Either way, Levi found himself getting comfortable with Eren. He even accepted his presence. He put up with the stupid things that Eren says, the ones that make Levi feel funny inside. Levi actually felt that he liked Eren in a sense that he could call him a friend. That was a nice thing because Levi literally only had Hanji up until this point.

 

            As Levi had come to know Eren more and more. He discovered that Eren was very supportive in the things Levi wanted to do. Things like flying or getting a job for example. Though, Levi also felt like there was something else that was happening. It felt as though their friendship –or whatever they had was… Levi didn’t even know how to put it into words… it was just _changing_. For better or worse, Levi didn’t know yet. All he knew was that Eren liked to give him weird comments and Levi didn’t know why. Sure, you could say that Eren liked Levi… but Levi had his suspicions of how _much_ Eren liked him. It didn’t bother Levi if Eren liked him or not… Maybe Eren was just one of those people who liked giving compliments to others? Well that didn’t matter right now however, Levi was curious if Eren ever received compliments like that on a daily basis. Eren made sure to compliment Levi on a daily basis or more whether Levi wanted to hear it or not… What would Eren do if he had the same done to him? How would he feel if _Levi_ did that to him?

 

            “Oi, Eren?”

 

            Eren shifted and looked down towards Levi, “Yes? What is it Levi?”

 

            Levi sat up slowly while watching Eren all the while. He stretched his arms. He actually didn’t know what he was going to say. He had an idea. “If I recall correctly, I remember promising a certain brat named Eren that next time I went flying, I’d let him watch.” Levi glanced at Eren, “So what do you say?”

 

            The true meaning of happiness showed on Eren face. His eyes brightened and his face lit up. “Fuck yes. I was wondering if you’d ever show me. I can’t wait to see you fly Levi.” Eren seemed to be bouncing up and down from excitement now. Levi couldn’t help but to get excited as well. Now he could show Eren what he had accomplished. “Oh, and Levi, please be careful this time… I don’t want you to have another concussion.”

 

            Levi didn’t even reply. He remembered that last time he flew, not only did he get sick from staying outside for too long and wet from the water, but he also hit his head at some point of the fall. Levi figured it was the tree. He just didn’t remember ever hitting the tree… On the bright side, he was still alive. At least Eren didn’t have to find a dead body in his backyard. Levi would just make sure he’d be more careful this time. With that thought in mind, Levi took off his shirt. He didn’t want to ruin the new shirt that he just got after all. Folding the shirt, Levi glanced back at Eren. He suddenly felt very self-conscious. Eren was staring at him.

 

            The sun was strong enough that in this light, Eren could see things he didn’t see before. Like all of the scars on Levi for example. Besides the natural scars where his wings were, there were even smaller scars. Most were just little cut scars… but there were at least three scars that were more pronounced. One was around Levi’s right hip. The other scar was across his lower abs. And the last scar was on the backside of his shoulder. All of them were at least three inches. The third one had the most unique shape to it. Eren’s brows furrowed, the scar was circular, no, oval-like but before Eren could get a good look at it Levi shifted. He looked uncomfortable as he handed his shirt to Eren. He wanted to say something to Levi. But what? He wanted to ask about those scars. It just didn’t seem like the right moment.

 

            Eren watched as Levi unfurled his wings, stretching them greatly and flapping them with ease. They were truly the most beautiful thing Eren had ever seen. And what more? They happened to be attached to a short but very handsome man. Eren smiled, he just couldn’t get enough of this. Levi could just sit down on the sofa and do nothing, Eren would be content. Not even a camera could possibly capture Levi’s grace, his beauty, his… _everything_. Levi was indeed a magnificent sight.

 

            Levi inhaled slowly, calming his nerves. He stretched his wings and flexed them. He felt ready. He knew he could fly. Now, he just had to start. To begin, Levi actually moved away from Eren first. You could never be too careful. Then, Levi started to flap his wings. It didn’t take as much effort as the first time he tried. Levi felt a familiar adrenaline rush. Levi felt his feet become light as he left the ground. It felt amazing to fly. It was like the world opened up and showed all new kinds of possibilities. Levi glanced at the ground looking for Eren below. He spotted him. Eren was staring up with wide eyes. It was amusing to see his expressions, Eren seemed to have all kinds of faces. Levi didn’t have many faces… No… Eren told him he had smiled before. Levi didn’t even realize he had been smiling. Was that because of Eren?

 

            It wasn’t very windy today just gentle breezes so Levi didn’t have very much air resistance. He found himself flying with ease. It was nice. As Levi glanced at Eren, he couldn’t wait to show Eren some tricks. Levi got started right away with a simple flip. He heard Eren shout to be careful. Funny, Eren had no idea how careful Levi was actually being. This was nothing compared to the reckless flying he did from the first time. It was fun to be flying again. To be free again. It was wonderful.

 

            After flying around for a while, Levi decided now was a good time to land but he didn’t want to do it simply. He wanted to surprise Eren. If he planned this out correctly, it would be flawless. If not, then he may have a couple bruises… Levi was certain that it was worth it.  Levi was willing for Eren to catch him. Hopefully he would at least. He was letting Eren, letting him close... Maybe even pass his walls that he had put up for all these years. He turned in midair heading for Eren. _I hope that you see right through my walls... I hope that you catch me because I'm already falling..._ Indeed. Levi was flying and falling straight towards Eren. Levi hesitated and opened his arms towards Eren. _Catch me_. It was then that Eren seemed to realize what he should do. He looked frantic but sure enough he opened his arms. What happened after that was blur.

 

            The nice thing was that Eren had caught Levi. The bad thing was that Levi’s momentum forced Eren to fall and they rolled a couple times before coming to a complete stop. Levi felt dizzy for a moment before he could focus. What an interesting sight he had in front –under him. Levi sat up. His wings gave a little flap as he realized that he was straddling Eren. His eyes were closed. “…Eren?” Levi poked Eren’s cheek, “Are you okay? I didn’t hurt you did I?”

 

            There was a sudden burst of giggles from Eren as he opened his eyes, “You like giving me heart attacks don’t you?” Eren seemed to notice how Levi has sitting on him but he made no comments, just a slight pink hue found its way onto his face. He looked into Levi’s eyes, “How about you? Are you okay?”

 

            Levi nodded, “Yeah… I’m fine… I mean I didn’t get a concussion this time…” Levi paused, “But… you know what I did get?”

 

            Eren frowned, “No. Now I’m confused, I thought you said you were okay… What did you get?” He did look genuinely confused and worried.

 

            Now might as well have been the best time as any to say something to Eren. But the question was, would it be worth it? Levi thought it would be, “I got _you_.” There. He said it. Well… it wasn’t exactly a compliment, but it seemed to work all the same. Eren became red as a tomato. He was blushing like crazy. Eren looked like he wanted to say something but it just came out as a bunch of stutters and slurred words. It was actually… Levi didn’t know how to describe _that_ feeling. It felt nice, so Levi just assumed it was a good feeling. Maybe he could do something like this more often. Eren didn’t seemed bothered by it at least. Besides, it was interesting to see Eren like this. Levi had been right. It was worth it.

 

▐►►

 

            It was now around dinner time and the bakery smelled delicious, just as Levi remembered it. What a weird place this was. Levi had failed to notice that bakery was not only just a bakery, but almost like a small eatery too. There were tables on one side of the place. Levi noticed the bread stand from last time, which reminded him. “Eren, what happened to the loaf we brought home last time?” Levi looked over at Eren who was sitting in front of him. They were sitting in a secluded area of the bakery. Over all, there were not very many people there.

 

            “Well…” Eren turned his attention from spacing out to the window to Levi, “The bread got moldy. I didn’t eat it because technically it was your bread.” Levi thought about what Eren had just said.

 

            It was _his_ bread.

 

            Pausing, Levi thought about what to say to that, “…I wouldn’t have minded if you ate it without me.” Levi crossed his arms and sighed, “What a waste…” He paused, “But, I suppose it would have been nice to share…” He watched as a smile presented itself on Eren’s face. Perhaps it was the thought of sharing something made him smile? _That makes him happy?_

 

            Eren leaned against the table. Levi noticed how the sun highlighted his hair and made it glow. It was very… Well there goes that feeling again. The one Levi couldn’t describe. He was _annoying?_ No, -well sometimes. He’s _tan_. No, that described his skin color. “Hey, Eren! Oh and hey Levi!” Levi’s thoughts were interrupted by Petra who was making her way to the table. She was smiling as she approached the table. “What are you two cuties up to?” _Cuties..?_ Levi frowned.

 

            “Oh, we’re just relaxing.” Eren was the first to answer, “We –or should I say Levi has been having a hard time today…”

 

            She turned towards Levi who now felt both of their gazes, “Oh? What’s got you down?”

 

            Levi rolled his eyes in irritation. He didn’t want to admit that he was a failure, “I… Can’t get a job.” He looked at the table in disappointment. _Laughter._ That’s what he heard. It was Petra. She was laughing at him. Levi glanced at Eren who was smirking. He felt offended. _Why is she laughing at me? This isn’t funny…_ Levi’s brows furrowed, “How the fuck is that funny?”

 

            Petra slowly stopped laughing. She wiped happy tears from her eyes, “So that’s why you’re here? Why didn’t you say so?” _Wait what?_ Levi felt confused. “I could definitely use an extra hand. Heck, you could even start tomorrow if you want.” She smiled, “You can call my cute little bakery your first workplace, Levi!” There it was again. That word. _Cute. …cute._ “So what do you say?”

 

            Levi hesitated. He looked at Eren who was smiling… _Now I see._ “So that’s why you wanted me to come here with you…” It all clicked in Levi’s mind. He looked over at Petra, “…So I can start tomorrow?” _Fuck. It’s my first job..!_ Levi couldn’t help but to feel pleased, even if Eren had technically planned this out.

 

            She nodded, “Of course! Be here by eight in the morning.” Petra giggled and spun on her heal, heading the other way, “Alright, see you tomorrow Levi! I have to get back to work now.” Levi watched her leave. She seemed happy. Genuinely happy. _What makes her that happy?_

 

            Turning his attention to Eren. They were both quiet for a while. Just looking at each other. Levi was still surprised that he just got hired for a job… and he didn’t really have to do anything. Maybe getting a job wasn’t as hard as he thought… Or maybe Eren was a slick bastard who knew that Petra would hire him… Levi would bet for the second idea. But… It was considerate of Eren to help him out… Someone who looked after him… and not in the weird way that Hanji did. It was _different_. Eren was _different_. Not in a weird way, but in a unique way. Levi liked that about Eren. He was… He was… There it was again. That feeling. _Why can’t I figure it out?_ Levi leaned onto the palm of his hand while gazing at Eren. He looked at Levi with an expression that said ‘ _What are you thinking?_ ’ In all honesty, Levi really wasn’t sure. He was trying to describe Eren… With an emotion that he had. It was confusing.

 

            How to describe it. Well he couldn’t… Or at least it was difficult. Eren was a bunch of things. Levi sighed, remembering what other people had said or things he heard coming from Eren… He said Levi was beautiful… _No, that’s not it…_ Petra said the word “cute”. _Eh._  Levi shrugged, _No that’s not it either…_ But Levi felt like it was somewhat close. Sure, Eren was beautiful in his own way and Levi guessed that Eren was also cute… but there was something in particular that he wanted to say… The word finally came to Levi. “Oh… So that’s what it was…”

 

            Eren tilted his head in a confused manner, “What are you talking about?”

 

            Levi merely sat up straight and with a serious look on his face, he said, “You are attractive Eren.” _Yeah…_ Levi nodded to himself. _That seems right._ Though he felt like he was forgetting something. Levi shrugged, he’d come up with it later. He watched as Eren bloomed into a red tomato, just like earlier.


	12. Levi Works

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have an explanation for why this is late.  
> First off, The Marching Band season ended and now I have TONS of freetime. BUT what happened was pratically ALL my teachers were like: OH hey, Marching Band is over. Here, have a stack of homework... =.=" -drowns in homework/school work-
> 
> I took a break for one week just to relax because I was getting stressed e.e
> 
> I'm sorry this is late... And I'm working on the get you the next chapter. I should have it done~
> 
> Wish me luck~
> 
> I'll stop bickering now~
> 
> Thank you for reading~ ^^ And being patient~!
> 
> (눈_눈)

Levi Works

 

►

 

            _Cozy._ The smell of bread provided a cozy feeling throughout the bakery. Some particular scents were that of fresh loaves from the oven, baked cakes and cookies, fresh desserts of various sorts and other baked goods. There was a decent crowd inside Ral’s Bakery today, Levi was hustling with a fresh tray of bread and croissants. Since Levi was uncomfortable with talking to the customers, he was stuck with stocking the shelves and cleaning. Which, Levi didn’t mean to brag, but that was an excellent job for him. If he had to say, Levi was actually very happy with his job. Of course, there were random moments where a customer would walk up to him and ask about the food. Levi would answer for the most part. Ever since he started working there, the customer turnout seemed to keep getting higher. Now, there were even days where the bakery could get packed.

 

            Quiet whispers seemed to spread throughout the bakery. Levi could hear them. Most were simple little giggles from the girls that walked in. Some were talking about specific things… But they all had one thing in common. They were all talking about Levi. Whether it was just to notify that he was a new employee or maybe they made fun of his height and sometimes, which was happening more often now, they’d talk about him in terms of… _being attractive… hot… sexy…_ Wasn’t things like that supposed to be… for couples? Or something like that, right? Why were these people allowed to say things like that..? _But then why does Eren say things like that?_ Levi finished stocking the shelf and returned back to the kitchen where Sasha was baking with Connie. They were two employees that Levi had gotten to know after working here for a week now.

 

            “Tch… Sasha… Are you eating the potato bread again..?” Levi cringed at his subordinates’ problem. She _always_ seemed to be eating something… But overall she had a potato obsession… Levi watched as she jumped as well as Connie.

 

            She quickly finished the food in her mouth, “Oh… H-hey Levi…” She giggled nervously. “I was just testing the food… To uh… uh.”

 

            “To make sure it wasn’t poisonous…” Connie finished her sentence. He scratched the back of his head nervously.

 

            Levi merely sighed. This was literally a routine by now. He’d catch them snacking away… Yet they were never fired… He supposed it was because they could cook –bake well. “Whatever. Just make sure you’re doing your job…” He got frantic nods from both of them. He watched as they seemed to move twice as fast. Levi placed his bread tray down and got some cleaning supplies. The counters and tables were calling his name. Levi made his way out to the eating area. As of right now, they were not busy. In fact, there was hardly anyone here at the moment. Three people. Levi got to work, cleaning the tables. He cringed at how dirty these tables could get. All of the crumbs that got on it… All the _dirt._

 

            “Hey, Levi.” Petra called out to him from the counter, “When you’re done with that, could you watch the counter while I take a break?”

 

            “Sure…” Levi tilted his head. He had never worked at the front before. Though it couldn’t be bad to try. Plus, it would give him more experience. Though, something about working the cashiers spot made Levi nervous. Never the less, Levi found himself putting the supplies away after he was done cleaning and making his way to the front.

 

            Petra smiled, “Alright Levi, you already know what items we sell here as well as the prices. All you really need to do is press this button when a customer hands you money…” She pointed to the ‘open’ button. Well if that wasn’t easy… “And Levi…” She waited for Levi to make eye contact with her, “You have to be _nice_ to the customers… That means great them with _‘Hello, welcome to Ral’s bakery. What would you like?’_ or ‘ _May I take your order?’_ ” She sighed and left Levi, “I’ll be back after my break.” She waved as she left the front entirely.

 

            Levi watched her leave. He awkwardly stood there. He was the only one watching the front. _Guess it’s not all that bad…_ Levi thought as he tapped the counter. It was clean, thanks to him. It was just one of those rare times when there were not really many customers. This was convenient for Levi because he wasn’t sure if he could handle a crowd.

 

            Standing here instead of hustling around, he could actually look around. He could look out of the windows and see the outside world. He watched as some leaves flew by. It reminded him that it was getting colder and colder. The weather was changing seemingly fast. Though, Levi actually didn’t mind the cold. It just felt _right_. Levi was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the bell ring that signaled a customer –no customers were coming in. Two young-looking ladies, possibly college students. They stopped in mid step when they saw Levi. The blond pulled the auburn haired girl closer, whispering frantically in the others ear.

 

            _OMG! It’s that hot guy! You know, the one who stocks the bread shelves?_ The other girl seemed to peek up at Levi who tilted his head at the girl. He was puzzled as to why these girls were talking about him. _Ah! He’s so cute!_ The other whispered as they giggled and approached the counter.

 

            Levi stood up straight, “Um… Welcome to Ral’s Bakery… What can I get you?” He watched as one girl broke out into a smile and the other’s face turned red. She was blushing.

 

            “Um… W-we’d like… Oh, how about two croissants please?” The blond immediately searched through her bag and pulled out a five. “Here, keep the change.” She smiled while the other stared at the ground. Levi merely nodded and went over to the croissants. He heard them whisper as he got them. _Did you hear how deep his voice is?_ The other blushing girl replied to her friend. _How could I not? I think my heart just melted a little. So sexy._ That was all they could say before Levi came back with their croissants.

 

            “Here you are.” Levi paused, he remembered that Petra would always say a little extra, “Thank you. …And come back again.” He felt a little awkward as he said it but it seemed that the ladies really appreciated what he had said because as they walked away, they continued to whisper about him. _We should totally tell our friends to come over!_ The other girl giggled and replied to her friend. _Yeah, totally!_ Levi sighed in relief as he watched them leave. What weird girls they were. Did everyone else talk like that? It’s not just Eren or Petra who says things like _cute_ or _sexy?_ This brought Levi back to his thoughts from earlier. _Wasn’t it really for couples?_ Sure he supposed they could be attracted to someone… but to go that far… Levi leaned against the counter, his chin resting in the palms of his hands. _Attracted? Attractive…_ Levi thought back to the other day when he said Eren was attractive. Levi felt right when he said that… _So… If I said that to Eren… Wouldn’t that mean I am attracted to him?_ This hit Levi as if it was the most obvious answer, like an ah-ha moment. “I’m attracted to him…” Levi mumbled as if testing to see if it was true. But Levi felt like it was more than just an attraction… _I think… I…_ “I think I like Eren…” And Levi felt it. What he felt, he couldn’t explain. The sensation made him feel all mushy inside. Like butterflies had made their way into his gut. It was strange, yet inviting.

 

            But would Eren feel the same way?

 

            _Ring!_ Levi looked up at the door, coming out of his realization of how he _felt_ about Eren. He watched as a very tall, blonde, muscular man made his way into the bakery. He was different from the other man that Levi had seen before. But something about him gave him the chills but Levi couldn’t move. Levi stood up straight but is feet wouldn’t move. He cringed and swallowed slowly, “Welcome to Ral’s bakery. What can I get you?” _Who is he?_ The man said nothing. He just leaned forward angling his head to the side. Levi froze in his spot. He wanted to punch this man for getting into his space. Then Levi heard a sniffling sound that made Levi push the man back. “What the fuck? Who do you think you are?” Levi glared up at the taller man, “Don’t you know there is a thing called _personal space_?”

 

            The man merely chuckled and smirked down a Levi, “The name’s Mike.”

 

            Levi crossed his arms and took a step back. _What is with this guy?_ “Oh Hey Mike, I see you met Levi.” Levi turned his head to see Petra coming back. “And judging by Levi’s expression, you gave him your signature greet…” She giggled softly. “Alright Levi, you can go back to your duties. I’ll take over.” She took over Levi’s spot at the counter. Levi stood there for a moment and then he went into the kitchen. He didn’t like that Mike guy. _Too weird._

 

            Well, other than meeting that Mike and the every once in a while rude customer, Levi was content with this job. He walked into the kitchen and sighed as he saw Sasha and Connie, once again snacking on all of the food. The sound of Levi walking in must have scared them because they both seemed to jump. Instead of saying anything Levi merely rolled his eyes and grunted in irritation. _Idiots._ “You guys will never learn-” _Buzz… buzz… buzz…_ Levi felt something in his pocket vibrate. He pulled out his phone. “Who’s calling me during work?” He looked at the name and number, “Eren..?” His brows furrowed as he answered, “What is it Eren?”

 

 _“Hey Levi, can you take a break right now?”_ Eren’s voice came out of the device.

 

            Levi visibly shrugged, “I don’t know.”

 

            _“Then come out to the front and ask Petra.”_

 

            As if obeying a command Levi found himself walking out to the front where Petra was working the cash register, “Was there something you needed to tell me?” Levi stopped as he was out of the kitchen and now in the front of the bakery, “And why couldn’t you tell me in person instead of wasting a call?”

 

            “Because I like hearing your deep voice over the phone.” Levi watched as Eren walked up to him, he was smiling.

 

            “Yes, I’m sure you do.” Levi said, ending the call. He put his phone in his pocket. “Give me a minute.” He said as he went to put his apron away. When Levi came back, he glanced over at Petra who was taking someone’s order, “Petra, can I take a break now?”

 

            She nodded, “Sure thing Levi. Have fun with Eren.” She winked.

 

            Levi turned back to Eren, “I’m all yours.” Eren smiled and guided Levi to a table. Levi sat across from Eren. He watched Eren sit down. “So what’s with the surprise visit?”

 

            Eren leaned on his hand, placing his elbow on the table, “I was going to ask if you wanted to go somewhere after work. You know, to celebrate your first week of employment.” He paused, “So is there anything you want to do, or want to go?”

 

            _Oh, that’s nice of Eren. But…_ “Can we just go home then? I’d like to…” Levi looked down at the table, “…to be alone with you and talk…” _Oh wait, he could take that the wrong way._ He continued, “Nothing bad… Well I guess it could be bad, but I don’t think it will…” Levi sighed and glanced up at Eren, “What I am trying to say is that…” _I want to get to know you better and… You to know me better._ “I want to talk about you and I.” He copied Eren, leaning on his hand and placing his elbow on the table. “I want to talk about _us_.”


	13. Levi's First Love

Levi’s First Love

 

►

 

            _Love._ That was something Levi wasn’t very familiar with. It really was a foreign word. Sometimes you fall before you fly. In his case, he had to stumble in the dark, fall on his face, and get up again... Only to walk into the wall. That’s was how Levi felt. Love made people blind. It made people struggle. But the end result was worth it… Wasn’t it? Levi felt it was. He never felt more _human_ in his life than now. And at the center of it all stood Eren. Levi folded his wings around him. He was sitting comfortably on the couch. He was stuffed thanks to Eren and his cooking. They had just finished eating dinner together.

 

            There was a clink of plates in the kitchen. Levi listened quietly. He heard Eren doing the dishes they had argued over. Levi volunteered to do the dishes but Eren wouldn’t let him, claiming that Levi had been cleaning all day at work and now it was his turn. He sighed as he used his wings for warmth. He looked down at the folded shirt on the coffee table. _Maybe I should slit a couple of my shirts so I can wear them with my wings out…_ There was a shuffling in the kitchen. Eren was done with the dishes. Levi could hear him doing something and then make his way out of the kitchen. _Click._ Levi flinched as he lowered his wings slightly. He peeked out and saw Eren standing there with a camera. _Click._ “Oi… Stop that…”

 

            Eren responded to Levi with a soft chuckle, “But you’re so photogenic…” Levi glared at him and Eren sighed, “Alright, alight… I’ll put it down.” He said whilst setting his camera gently on the table. Levi felt the couch shift beneath him as Eren sat down, “So… What did you want to talk about?”

 

            Levi shifted his weight as he thought. He was trying to find a good way to word it just right, but was there even a right way to say something like that? _Let’s start with something simple._ He moved his wings back so he could see Eren better. “I think…” _No._ There wasn’t any doubt in his mind. “I like you, Eren.” He watched as Eren’s cheeks dusted with a light blush.

 

            “Good. I’m glad you like me.” Levi felt Eren’s hand brush against his left wing. It would have been nice, but Eren didn’t seem to understand how _much_ Levi liked him. So he leaned forward.

 

            “No, Eren I don’t think you understand…” Levi was now leaning on Eren, one hand on the couch for support and the other hand on Eren’s chest, “I like-like you… A lot.” Levi leaned closer to Eren, tilting his head just slightly as he kissed him. This was the first time Levi could enjoy the kiss. The first time had been a dream, the second time he had been recovering but now… Levi felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. He pulled away slowly. Eren looked like he was in shock. _Did he not like that..? Was that too fast? Oh no, it was, wasn’t it?_ “Sorry…”Levi moved to get away from Eren but it was futile. He felt Eren pull him back into another kiss.

 

            As they separated, Eren cupped Levi’s cheek, “Why are you apologizing?” His thumb brushed against Levi’s cheek as he spoke. “I’ve liked you for the longest time, Levi… You have no idea… I just didn’t want to… You know, force myself on you… I wanted your trust.” _So I wasn’t the only one who felt that way…_ _Good_. Levi watched as Eren’s eyes raised to meet his, “I would have waited forever to gain that trust if I had to.”

 

            In retrospect, Levi was a very lucky guy. Levi knew that he was. This could have gone so wrong. It could have gone wrong since the very beginning… “You know, I’m glad you won that auction… Who knows where I’d be, what I’d be doing or if I would be alive…” Levi was expressing his gratitude. He was thankful that he didn’t have to endure hell anymore. It really was all thanks to Eren… Levi curled into Eren, placing his forehead against Eren’s chest. _I’m grateful that you don’t beat me… grateful that you treat me right… that you take your time with me… you’re patient… warm… understanding… You make me feel complete._

 

            “You really must have gone through hell in there to say something like that…” Eren paused and Levi could hear Eren’s heartbeat. He felt Eren’s hands on him, one on his back, the other grazing through his hair. “Were there others like you?”

 

            Levi shifted, “You mean people who have wings like I do?” His wings flapped as he said that. He watched as Eren nodded. Levi hesitated, “Yes. There were four of us in total.”

 

            “What happened to the other three?” Eren inquired.

 

            “Two are dead… The other… I’m not sure if she’s alive or not.” Levi frowned as memories of what happened in the past came back to him.

 

            Eren rubbed Levi’s scars in a comforting manner, “Will you tell me what happened?” He paused and looked down at Levi, “I mean, if you’re not comfortable with telling me, or if you’re not ready to talk about it, then I’ll wait.”

 

            Levi bit his lip. “No, it’s fine. I’ll tell you. But are you sure that you want to hear it..? Eren, it’s not a happy ending…”

 

            “I didn’t expect it to be…” Eren paused, “Have you ever been in love Levi?”

 

            Levi moved to sit fully on Eren’s lap. He sat comfortably, “Let me tell my story first and then I’ll answer your question.” And Levi went into story mode.

 

◄◄▐

 

            _Cold._ I was shivering in my cage. It was relatively quiet in here since it was night time and the viewing was over. Man, I fucking _hate_ the viewings. It’s like another form of torture. I’d rather be beaten to a pulp, that’s how annoying it is. I crawled onto my bed and pulled the thin ass blanket over me. My wings wrapped around me, they were the only things I’d let get this close. They were the only things that kept me warm and that I felt truly safe in… They were also the reason I was in this shitty dump. I couldn’t get out even if I tried.

 

            I guess it’s not all that bad in here… I get fed, I take cold showers, it’s quiet at night, it’s _almost_ clean in my cage, and I have somewhat decent clothes to keep me warm. Well I also have this lame excuse for a bed that I’m sitting on. Not cozy at all… If anything it is as hard as a rock or the floor of this cage. But nothing less, it’s still a shitty bed.

 

            I was just about to fall asleep when I heard some chains rattling in the darkness and voices. “Listen here you little bitch, you better behave. No funny business. The doctors say you need to get back to health… _‘Maybe having a companion will help.’_ They said… Fuck that. I think we should kill you… but lucky for you I get paid more if you’re alive.” The guard chuckled. I flinched as the lights were suddenly turned on. I blinked several times before I could see but once I opened them, I was in total shock… There was someone else with wings… A girl, probably around my age but she had red hair and ginger colored wings. They approached my cage and one of the guards pointed his gun at me. “Don’t move bastard, or I’ll shoot you dead.”

 

            What happened after that shocked me. I watched as they opened my cage door and pushed her into my cage… She stumbled and fell over. Tch. Scum… I’ll make you pay one day for that… Once she was in my cage, they slammed the cage door shut. I watched the guards leave the area. Shitty fucktards left the lights on…

 

            The sound of chains brought me back to the girl –lady?–chick? Eh whatever. I shrugged as I got up slowly. As I did so, I saw her visibly flinch. Hey look, something we have in common. I crouched down next to her and tilted my head. I’ve never come into contact with anyone else who was like me before… So I carefully extended my right wing towards her. My wing brushed her cheek. I could tell now that she was crying. “Oi…” I’m not going to ask her if she’s okay… especially when I could tell that she wasn’t okay. “What’s your name?” I nudged her with my wing.

 

            The ginger slowly lifted her head and upon seeing my wings, I saw a light flicker in her eyes, “I-Isabel… My name’s Isabel.” She wiped away her tears and sniffled.

 

            “Levi.” I said simply and we stared at each other for a moment. She had similar cuts and bruises like me. Scars. Her hair was tattered like mine. I watched her eyes look from me to my wings. She brought her hands up to my wing right wing and I flinched. I let her touch my wing. She had the softest touch. She wasn’t doing it to hurt me, just observe me yet not like the scientists do. Once she was done, I did the same thing. I was just as curious as she was, so you can’t blame me. It was bizarre. Knowing that there was someone else like you, who had the same struggles, who had your pain too… It would be tough, but I knew that she could very well become a friend… a friend that I longed to have in my empty cage. There was also plenty of room. Enough for sharing space at least… As long as it was clean.

 

             I looked down at Isabel, “Welcome to my bird cage…” She actually smiled at what I said. She sat up straight and it was then I could see what she was wearing. Her clothes seemed more torn then mine… Dirtier… I sighed and went over to my bed, “Come now… you can sleep over here…” Yes, I was giving her _my_ bed. She’s my guest after all.

 

            After I didn’t hear her move, I turned to see her still sitting there. I was about to ask what she was doing when she interrupted me, “A-are you sure..? I can sleep on the floor…”

 

            “Nonsense.” I kneeled beside her. “It’s fine. Now get on the damn bed before I change my mind…” Her eyes were down casted… And she looked like she was going to be sick… “What’s wrong, Isabel?”

 

            Isabel muttered just loud enough for me to hear, “I… can’t walk… I’m too weak…” So the guard had to help you get here..? Shit that sucks.

 

            “Well, Isabel… I’ll help you out… but you have to let me help you.” I said as I helped her up. Isabel was right, she really was weak. Almost _deathly_ looking. She was basically skin and bones… I sighed and guided her to my bed, sat her down and said, “And no dying, you hear me… I don’t tolerate corpses on my bed.” Her eyes were wide in shock from my blunt words. Isabel nodded slowly then laid down, curling up into a ball on my bed.

 

            I sat down next to the bed and brought my legs close, “Goodnight, Isabel.”

 

            “Goodnight, Levi.” I heard him move around slightly before she held still. After a while I could tell she fell asleep because her breathing slowed down. However, I didn’t have an easier time. The lights made it more difficult to fall asleep, yet eventually, finally I fell asleep.

 

            The morning seemed to come sooner than I would have liked it to. I woke up, stiff and sore but it didn’t matter. That wasn’t going to be the worst part of the day. It was always when the viewing started. I got up slowly and stretched, I even flexed my wings. Looking over at Isabel, I could see that she was sound asleep… plus, she was snoring softly. How could she sleep so peacefully in a place like this? That’s not fair…

 

            Over near the bars of the cage there were two trays of food. Absentmindedly, I picked up the trays and made my way back to where Isabel was sleeping. I nudged her with my wings, “Oi, get up… Breakfast is here…” After what seemed like a minute, she finally stirred awake and opened her eyes. She looked at me and then the trays of food in my hands. I offered her one of the trays and she gladly took it. We ate together in silence. Isabel ended up finishing her plate before I did. I ate a couple more bites before sliding my plate over to her. “Here… Eat the rest of it…”

 

            Isabel seemed to disapprove of my idea, she pushed the tray right back, “No Levi, it’s your food… You eat it…”

 

            I shook my head, “No. you eat it right now.” I commanded her, “You’re way thinner than I am. No arguing. Now eat.” Her brows furrowed as she stared at me. Slowly, she began to move again. Isabel did as I said, eating the portion of food that I didn’t eat. Such a stubborn girl she is…

 

            Later, I discovered that she hated the viewing as much as I did. Yet another thing I can add to the list to things we have in common. We were huddled together, wings over lapping so that we were shielded from the monsters outside of the cage that were called people. Said monsters were yelling profanities and vulgar things. We continued to ignore the humans until the viewing was over. It wasn’t that bad… Not when you had company. But I knew that this probably wasn’t going to last forever… the question was… How long will this last?

 

            I was beginning to enjoy Isabel’s company, but at the same time, I was trying to not get used to it. She could be gone tomorrow– my thoughts were interrupted when I heard the door to my cage open, there was one guard pointing a gun at me and the other guard coming in… The peaceful times have made me blind… I knew it… This was too good to be true. Isabel didn’t like where this was going either. She began to cry.

 

            What happened next was a blur. Before I knew it, I was at her side wiping tears from her face, “Tch. Stop it. You’re better than this…” _Don’t show them how weak we are…_ “You’ll be fine. Now stop crying…” As I commanded she silenced herself into little sniffles. “Now I want you to go with the guard and behave… No sass.” And then I looked at her with a soft expression… or at least as good as I could muster, “Show them your brave face.” I then plucked a feather from my black wing and gave it to her. I watched as she nodded and I slowly backed away from her.

 

            The guards then took her out of the cage, quite peacefully. She didn’t fight back but she did have her brave face on. I sat there in my cage and sighed. I folded my wings around me. My company was gone, but at least I found this new hope… There was at least one other person who was like me. I didn’t feel as alone as I normally would. Maybe… Just _maybe_ this world wasn’t that cruel after all. No, scratch that… It was totally fucked up. Yes, I am not alone anymore, I know that now… but at the same time… She’s going through what I’m going through… Some fucked up person had to put her here…Just like me… With that in mind, I vowed to take her as my responsibility. I would make sure that if I would see her again, I’d keep her alive as long as I could… I won’t let a friend of mine die… not if I could help it.

 

             Time passed as I sat there. I never heard her come back. Yeah, I should have expected this… Why did I bother to even hope? Those sick bastards. I wonder what they’re doing to her. I wonder if I’ll ever see her again… My friend, Isabel. I’ll never forget her that’s for sure.

 

            I don’t know maybe two weeks passed when I suddenly heard the rustle of chains again. I peeked out from my wings and was shocked yet again by what I saw. How many..? Another person? Shit. I watched as they opened the cage door and pushed a male into my cage. I noticed how they didn’t even point a gun at me this time… As they closed the door, I took a moment to stare at the guy in front of me. He had dirty blond hair and his wings were a brownish tan color. I watched as he slowly approached me and couched in front of me. He was in as bad shape as I was, though healthier than Isabel. His clothes were tattered like mine. Yet another person who was like me… Another person who knows my suffering.

 

            “Uh… Hey…” He said to me and his wings flapped slightly, “My name is Farlan.”

 

            I blinked before replying, “Levi.” I watched as he nodded.

 

            “Some shithole we’re in…”

 

            I smirked and nodded, “I couldn’t agree with you more.” Ah yes. Yet another friend. “Welcome to my shitty cage. You’re my second visitor I’ve had…” I paused and flapped my wings softly.

 

            “Oh? And who was the first visitor?” Farlan tilted his head.

 

            “Isabel.”

 

            Farlan’s eyes widened as he shifted, “You met Isabel? I did too…” He leaned closer and started to whisper, “Do you think there is a reason why this is all happening?” I merely shook my head. Hell if I knew… The guards don’t say shit. Sometimes I wish I was telepathic, because maybe I could tell what was happening. Farlan hummed in thought, “Have you ever thought about escaping?”

 

            I looked at Farlan as if he was foreign. Dude, who wouldn’t think about escaping? It was my dream to get the hell out of here. I wanted to be free. So yes, this conversation really struck a nerve with me. “Fuck yes… Why? You got any bright ideas?”

 

            I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited when I saw him nod. I was all ears when he started to tell me his plan. It was simple really… But one key factor was missing… Isabel needed to be here if we wanted it to work. As night came, I told Farlan that it had been a long time since I last saw her… There was a good chance she wasn’t coming back.

 

            “You want the bed?” I asked Farlan.  After all, he still was another guest in my cage.

 

            He shrugged, “Nah man, you can have it. Those beds are hard as a rock…” I merely chuckled in response and I sat up on my bed. At least someone knew my pain. Well… That’s a bad thing… I sighed and laid down. I couldn’t wait for the plan to take action.

 

            “Well I’m going to sleep. ‘Night.” I said as a curled into a ball, folding my wings around me.

 

            Well, I was glad I went to sleep early because I had to wake up early… Like before breakfast was even here, early. I opened my eyes to see the cage door opening, “Well isn’t this cute… We got a huge ass birds’ nest now…” Said one of the guards. And look, they had Isabel. The other guard pushed her in and luckily Farlan was awake to catch her before she hit the floor… Yes… I can’t wait to escape and tear their heads off… I watched them close the cage… “That makes four of them right?” I heard one guard say as they walked away.

 

            “Are you okay Isabel?” Farlan inquired as he held her up.

 

            With the help of Farlan she was able to stand up properly, she nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine…” Then she looked straight up at me. “I want to be brave like you…” She held up the black feather that I gave her. “I gave them my brave face, just like you told me to do…” Isabel smiled and then I watched as her eyes looked past me. Farlan’s eyes did the same. “Who’s that..?”

 

            I tilted my head. Who? I turned around to see a ball of black next to me. How did I not notice this? I mean, holy shit someone is sleeping next to me… My eyes widened for a moment, “I don’t know… When did she even get in here...?” They shook their heads. Thus, I decided to wake the being next to me. I extended my black wing and brushed it against its wings. “Oi… Wake up… What’s your name?”

 

            I watched as the body stiffened, “Mikasa…” I heard the voice say. So it was a girl. Her feathers ruffled as she moved them slightly. I could see her face now. There were apparently many things that I’d get shocked over within the last couple days… And she was no exception. It was weird… I felt like I was looking at my reflection or twin… or some sort of relative.

 

            “Levi.” I said as I watched her sit up and look at me then past me.

 

            “I’m Farlan.”

 

            “The name’s Isabel, please to meetcha!”

 

            I turned back to see her move her wings out of the way, revealing more of her. Just like me she had tattered clothes, scars, messy hair… etc… etc… but it wasn’t just me… I had two other friends with me… So that makes all of us… I had new friends in my hell hole… And even better… A plan to escape… “Would you like to be invited to our escape plan?” I watched her eye brows furrow but after a moment of thought, she nodded. Great. The more, the merrier. And so that’s how it all went down. Farlan, now that Isabel was here and we had a bonus person, was able to tell us the plan.

 

            To say the least, I liked the plan. It had lots of risk but it was worth it… Freedom was something I’d give my life for if need be… Today was a cleanup day, which basically means that besides the cages getting cleaned, we’d get showers today. Thus, most guards are on cleaning duty and are more vulnerable. Simply put, one of us, me, would be taken to go take a shower. Then, while the transfer is happing, one of us, Isabel now that she seemed healthier, will need to go to the bathroom. What we’re hoping is that two of us outside of the cage would be enough to overpower the guards that were watching. The best scenario, they clean the cage when we set the plan into motion. The worst case, the plan doesn’t work… and death.

 

            As if I wished upon a star, a guard appeared. I looked at all my new friends. Yes, I would do this for them. I took a shower first and came back. That’s when it all went down. Just as planned, it was Isabel, she said, “Sir..! Please let me out! I got to go pee!” She was even squirming around to make it more believable. And believable it was, because once that cage door opened, she ran out and distracted the guards. Farlan and Mikasa was able to get out of the cage. Me, well I took out the two bastards beside me. “That’s what you get for pushing my friends around…” I muttered as the second guy fell to the floor, unconscious. I wasn’t aiming to kill, not really, though I know I could if I wanted to. I also knew that I had some abnormal strength, so did the others. That’s why it was so easy to overpower them. It was part of the plan.

 

            We each took whatever we could use as a weapon. I took a broom. Farlan and Mikasa managed to get ahold of guns and last, Isabel got a Taser. Now, the next part of the plan, or should I say phase two? Well anyway, the second part of the plan was even more dangerous. We had to find a way out, without dying.

 

            Naturally, I’d like to say this would be easy… It was far from it. Each of us only knew parts of the building itself. But, after putting our information together it sufficed enough for a map. A small one but good enough to find the exit. I don’t ever recall seeing an exit. I don’t ever recall how I even got here… I just knew that I existed. I was here for some reason… I guess I just never found my purpose. Maybe one day I would… So anyway, back to the map. As far as we knew, the building was a simple design. If we planned this out right, then it would be sweet freedom from here on out.

 

            According to the map, we had to go down the hall to our right, make it through a big room that was meant for viewing, go through the crazy scientist’s hallway, turn left, go through the third door to the right and there would be the main room. The exit was located here… So as far as I know… We basically were in the back and most hidden part of the building. Of our prison. All in all, things could get fucked up easily but I was willing to risk my life to get out of here. I am also willing to die for my friends, despite knowing them for a short amount of time. I feel like I’ve known them almost all my life… Maybe it’s because we all had so much in common? I don’t know. Maybe it was something about the fact that I knew that these people were suffering as much as I am. Or should I say, suffered as much as I had.

 

            Going down the hall was literally the easiest thing I’ve ever done. We didn’t even need weapons. There weren’t even guards in the damn hallway. Is it just me or does this seem… _not_ right. You’d think there would be guards around here. Nope. Not one. We even made it through the big room with ease. Huh… I wonder where they were… We stealthily made our way past they crazy ass scientists’ lab. No creepy scientists’ here, none. Damn, if I would have known it would be this easy… We turned the corner, going left like we planned, though, admittedly I glanced back at the right side of the hall. Now let’s see… The third door. This was seriously too… Wait. I stopped before I could turn the knob, “Farlan. I don’t think this is the right door…” I looked back at him. Isabel was next to him and Mikasa was actually next to me.

 

            Farlan stood next to me, “What? Shit. Are you sure?”

 

            “Definitely.” I pointed to the sign. “It says, ‘WARNING: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY’. Farlan, I think we need to find a different route.” I paused, “Are you sure we were supposed to turn left instead of right?” I watched as Farlan thought for a moment… But in that moment… I sensed something. It was… It made my nerves run crazy. Then I saw it… No, them. Guards. Coming down the hallway. I knew we were in trouble when they spotted us. “Fuck, they’re here.” I felt adrenalin take over me. I heard this alarm screeching in my ears. Where did that come from? It must have happened when I opened the door. Too soon I found myself pushing, Isabel, Farlan and Mikasa into the room. We needed a new plan. Fast. Now.

 

            “Levi! I say we fight those guards!” Isabel said in rage, “We can take ‘em. You’re strong, Levi, I watched you beat the crap out of those other guards… So what are we waitin’ for?” She clutched her Taser. “I wanna use this on them!” I watched as her face twisted into a smile. And… You know… I really wanted to take them out… I wanted to give them a taste of their own medicine… I sighed, “Okay, so here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to stay here…”

 

            Farlan was the first to show distaste to my plan, “No way, you’re coming with us.”

 

            Jumping up and down was Isabel as she puffed her cheeks, “Levi, you can’t do this… You have to come with us.”

 

            “I agree… We’re stronger together.” Mikasa added. Guys, I know, but everything comes with a sacrifice. I just so happen to entitle myself to being the sacrifice.

 

            I sighed, “Okay look. If I don’t catch up, come back for me. But I promise, I’ll catch up.”

 

            “But-”

 

            I heard the door slam open behind me, the guards were heading straight for us. Shit. Shit. _Shit._ I pointed at the door at the end of the room, “Don’t you trust me?” Luckily there were only three guards. I took two of them down with my boom. The third guard was a little more clever, he dodged my attacks. It took me several tried, but sure enough my broom made a hard impact to his gut. He fell over and collapsed onto the ground. I quickly turned to my three companions, “Do you trust me?”

 

            There was a moment that seemed to pass before everyone started to move again. Farlan smiled, “Alright. I’ll trust you… But don’t get yourself killed.” He pushed Isabel through the exit. I watched them disappear. Mikasa gave me a salute before she left.

 

            I chucked, “I don’t plan on dying today…” I adjusted my grip on the broom in my hands. I’ll stay here for a while and then leave once I know I won’t be followed. I waited… And waited. And heard one of the guards moving on the floor. I frowned and made my way over to the scum. “Tch… And what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

 

            I watched as his face turned into a grin. I felt uneasy though I didn’t show it. Then he said, “They will all die…” He waved a communication device in my face. I felt my eyes widen. No. _No._

 

            “You mother fucker!” I grunted as I kicked him as hard as I could. I then swung my broom just as hard, it stopped… Half of it was lodge into his side… the other half of it was still in my hands. I turned away from him. I’ve been here too long.

 

            I ran through the door that they ran out of. I ran through the room that was supposed to lead us to the exit. To our freedom. As I entered the room… Blood. _Blood_ was on the floor. As I looked ahead of me I saw a group of guards surrounding Farlan. He just caught sight of me as I ran to get there in time. As I ran, I watched as a guard raised his gun to Farlan’s head. _No, stop!_ I watched as Farlan smiled softly and gave me a little wave. _Bang! Bang! Bang!_ I watched as shots were fired… Into Farlan’s side, his chest, and his head. I watched as he fell to the ground.

 

            _Dead._

 

            No… Why did this have to happen? My whole body felt numb. Wait where’s– I gasped as something hit my foot. I slowly looked down and stared wide eyed. _Isabel…_ It was her… But it was only a part of her… just her _head._ It looked like it had been cut clean off. Her eyes stared back up at me…

 

            _Lifeless._

 

             A little further to the side, I saw her body several feet away. My hand shook as I leaned down. I closed her eyes.

 

            _I regret the decision I made! I take it all back. They weren’t supposed to be the sacrifice… I was. I shouldn’t have left them. I shouldn’t have let them go without me… I couldn’t protect them… I’m worthless. Useless…_ I gritted my teeth. Everything happened in a blur. Somehow I ended up with a gun in my hands. Rage took over me. I had no control as a shot the guards. Blinded by my rage, I almost didn’t feel something pierce my skin. Two bullets… One in my side, right where my hip was and the other near grazed across my abs. However, that didn’t stop me from killing every single one of those guards. Any that I found in the room was punished with a bullet in them. No mercy. “Tell me. Was it fun?” I asked as I shot another guard in the head. “Was it fun to kill them? To murder my friends? Was it _worth_ it?” I shot the last guard in front of me in the knee cap. He cried out in pain. “You know, I’m particularly having fun right now…” I watched as he begged me to stop. “An eye for an eye, you scum.” I pulled the trigger.

 

             That was all I remembered before blacking out.

 

►

 

            Levi stopped his story. He felt tired and… _sad._ He missed his friends. He looked up and Eren who had puffy eyes. “Since when did you start crying?”

 

            Eren’s arms snaked around Levi’s body, embracing him. He held Levi close, which Levi found comforting. “W-when you started to cry… That’s when I started to cry…” He said as he whipped a tear from Levi’s face. Levi flinched as he felt Eren’s thumb on his cheek. _I had started to cry?_ Sure enough, Levi felt his body shake, tremble. Why was it that he showed weakness in front of Eren..? “So what happened to Mikasa?”

 

            “Like I said… I actually don’t really know. I don’t know if she ever made it out or ended up like me… Or if she’s dead…”

 

            It was quiet for a while before Levi felt Eren shift under him. Eren’s hand brushed against Levi’s cheek, turning Levi’s head towards Eren. “And what about the other question?”

 

            “Which one?”

 

            There was a light chuckle that came from Eren, “Have you ever fallen in love before?”

 

            Sighing, Levi rolled his eyes. _Oh yes... that’s right._ “I’ve only fallen once…” Levi leaned forward and nuzzled his nose against Eren’s nose. “You…” Levi felt like some sort of nerves were just released. He relaxed, “What about you?”

 

            Eren paused for a moment, as if the answer was obvious, “Only you… I have no room for anyone else in my heart. You take up all of it… You complete me.” Eren left it at that as he leaned up into Levi. Now Levi had another chance to feel Eren’s lips as Eren kissed him. Eren’s lips were soft. The kiss was not rushed, no lust. Just… _Love._

 

            _Yeah… I feel the same way about you Eren…_


	14. Levi Models

Levi Models

 

►

 

 _Click._ That was the sound the camera would make when Eren pressed the small button. They, Eren and Levi, were sitting on Eren’s couch. Neither one of them had work today. It was getting colder outside as now it was the beginning of December. Levi sighed as Eren took yet another picture. “Why do you keep doing that?”

 

 _Click._ “Because it’s my job.” Levi could see Eren smile behind his camera. “And it’s a hobby of mine.”

 

            “Tch. Well you should invest in a new hobby.” Levi rolled his eyes as he watched Eren.

 

            “Only if my hobby can be you.” Eren chuckled as he walked up to Levi. “Come on, it’s not _that_ bad Levi.” He held up his camera so that Levi could look at the screen. “See, look.” Levi watched as Eren as flipped through the pictures he was taking. He saw different kinds of scenery pictures. Some were close-ups of plants and random objects. Then he started to see pictures of people. It was interesting to see. _So this is what they see on the other side of the camera._ Then something caught Levi’s eye as Eren was flipping through the images.

 

            Levi’s brows furrowed as he snatched the camera from Eren’s hands, “What was that? Did I just see-?”

 

            “Woah! Levi be careful with that!” Levi moved away from Eren as he tried to take his camera back.

 

 _Now how did this work again?_ Levi pressed a button and it made an image disappear, “Whoops. I think I made that image go away. That’s the delete button right?” The expression on Eren’s face was priceless. “Sorry.”

 

            Eren was frantic now as he took his camera back, “Levi! What the heck. Man, I’ll never get that photo back. I told you to be careful!” Eren held the camera close to him as he glanced through the images. “It’s a good thing that you deleted the copy…” He sighed, “Now what did you want to see? I’ll show you.”

 

            “Go back to the other pictures. You passed it.” Levi said as he moved closer to Eren. He wanted to make sure that Eren didn’t pass it again. It was a couple pictures later when Levi spotted it. He gasped and took the camera again, “I knew it. Why did you take a picture of me?”

 

            “I’ve taken others before…”

 

            Levi grunted in annoyance, “But why the fuck did you take a picture of me sleeping? What are you, some kind of pervert?” His eyes were glued to the screen. It was, as he said, an image of him asleep. He was curled up on the couch, wings wrapped around his body almost like feathery blankets, his hair was tossed to the side making it look messy and his lips were slightly parted.

 

            “I could be.” Levi glanced over at Eren. Of course he knew that Eren was joking but… A part of Levi actually believed it. _Well. It wouldn’t be surprising._ Levi glanced back between the image and Eren. He found himself settling next to Eren again. He turned to face Eren with the camera. _Where is it?_ “What are you doing?” Levi’s fingers brushed along the camera. He knew that it was one of the buttons... _Click!_ He watched as Eren’s brows furrowed, “Did you just… Take a picture of me?” Levi couldn’t help but to smirk. He saw the image now on the camera. It was of Eren, his eyes seemed to be staring into, yet past the camera. It was rather _cute_. “Let me see.” As Eren took the camera away from Levi, he watched Eren’s expression. “Not bad… Even though you don’t know what you’re doing.”

 

            “You really think so?” Levi leaned into Eren so that he could look at the image more.

 

            Eren chuckled, “Yeah, but you got a long way to go before you’re as good as I am.” Levi watched as Eren turned the camera around. Suddenly, he felt Eren’s arm around him, pulling him closer. _Click!_ Levi blinked. “There. Now I have a picture of us together.” Eren smiled as he turned the camera around. Levi now could see the screen. Indeed, it was them together. Eren giggled, “Look how cute you are.”

 

            Levi grunted and mocked Eren, “Look how cute _you_ are.” Levi stared at the picture a moment before he realized Eren was quiet. He looked over at Eren who was intensely staring back at him. “…What?”

 

            “You should do it.”

 

            Levi played stupid, “Do what?”

 

            “You know what I mean.”

 

            “No I don’t.”

 

            Eren sighed and nudged Levi, “Model for me… Please Levi.” Levi rolled his eyes and looked away from Eren. “Come on. You love me right? I’m your boyfriend… You should do it for your boyfriend. It doesn’t have to be for anyone else, just me. I won’t give the pictures to anyone… _Please._ ”

 

            Levi’s brows furrowed, “Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to be in a relationship with you… I don’t like how you’re blackmailing me with our relationship. That’s immature.” Levi did the ultimate mistake of turning his head towards Eren. His bottom lip was pushed out in a pout, eyes big and pleading. It was the strangest thing. Levi felt like something inside him falter and break. He grunted in displeasure as he covered his face with his hands. Levi leaned over, falling onto the arm rest, “Tch. Whatever. Fine. Okay. Shit. Ugh. I’m agreeing on the conditions that you said. Only you can take my picture and you can’t give it to anyone…” He sighed as he gave in to Eren’s demands. _Damn you, Eren… and your face…_

 

            There was a sudden burst of joy coming from Eren. He shot up and out of the couch. He punched the air. Levi could see how Eren’s eyes lit up, he thought it was interesting that Eren could get so excited over something so simple… _It must mean a lot to him…_ “Oh! Come with me to the basement! I need to get my camera ready and everything set up so you’ll have to wait a moment. Gah! I can’t wait!” Eren immediately headed for the basement and Levi found himself following along. _This won’t be too bad… Hopefully…_

 

            The basement was the same as Levi remembered it for the most part. Though, a couple things were shifted around and there was even new things now. There were different costumes hanging on the rack as well as different props in the set up. Levi noticed how eagerly Eren was while trying to set up. Just watching him made Levi nervous but he had already decided that he’d would do this. _No backing out of this. Besides, it makes Eren happy…_ “So… What am I supposed to do, Eren?”

 

            Levi watched as Eren fumbled with things in his hands. Eren quickly emptied his hands. “Um… Well don’t hate me but… I’d like you to try something on.” Eren said sheepishly. There was a light pink on his cheeks as he basically dove into the costume. It literally took Eren two minutes to find what he was looking for. He pulled out something that was hanging on a coat hanger. Levi was sort of curious to know what it was, he couldn’t tell right now because it was covered in some kind of plastic. Eren handed the, what was presumably a costume of sorts, to Levi. “There’s a small changing room right over there. I hope you like it.” Eren said as he pointed.

 

 

            Turning, Levi could see a door. He looked at the costume in his hands and then the door. His feet automatically started to work. He soon found himself closing the door behind him. Now, it was time to reveal what was inside the plastic bag. Levi actually felt _interested_ to know what it is. He carefully unzipped the bag, then opened it slowly. He paused. Levi was impressed. Black like his hair, it looked like something a high commanding officer would wear… but maybe a little more scandalous in some way… and it was _nice_. Nice in terms of… _How to describe it… it is really well-made._ Levi found himself eager to try it on.

 

            To describe the way the uniform fit… was by far impossible. Levi felt his lips curl up as he looked at himself in the mirror. He blinked and took a closer look at a tag that was on it. _Corporal Levi_. Rubbing his figures across the texture of the fabric, Levi felt satisfied. This was way better than the things that the crazy scientists would make him wear… It even came with these marvelous emblems on it. It was the design of overlapping wings. One was colored in, the other white… The best part of it was the words under the emblem. ‘ _Wings of Freedom_ ’ This costume really was wonderful… It fit perfectly, probably tailored to fit… Levi felt powerful in the costume. _Brave. Strong._ Like he could take on almost anything…

 

            Levi peeked out the door to see Eren waiting patiently by his camera. Eren heard the door squeak open which caused his head to turn. Levi made eye contact with Eren whose face erupted into a big smile, “You have it on?” Eren started to walk to the changing room that Levi was in, “Please come out. I want to see.” Levi nervously obeyed. He didn’t know why he was nervous. Maybe it was because Eren would be looking at him? Staring? Judging him? Not like he cared… As he stepped out he watched as, yet again, Eren’s whole face lit up. “It fits you perfectly… And it looks good on you too…” He said as he examined Levi closer. “Alright. Follow me.”

 

            Thus, Levi was lead to the set up where the camera was aimed at. The only thing that was currently on the set was a lush, red couch. Eren placed him so that he was standing to the side of the couch. “So what are you doing?”

 

            “Okay. First, I’d like to get separate pictures of you.” He giggled, “You can look all serious and what not… Maybe I’ll try to get you to pose a certain way… Just be open to my ideas okay?” Levi swallowed before nodding. “Good. Now Levi, try to imagine that you really are a corporal… People fear you because you are stronger. I want a serious face…” Levi tilted his head. Technically he had never been in a position of power before… He knew that he was strong but… And he had never been to war… _Oh wait, I’m supposed to be imagining this…_ Eren paused and then snapped his finger as if he had an ah-ha moment. “Pretend someone died… No wait. That would mean you’re sad… Oh! Someone just made fun of your height…” To which Levi immediately grunted in displeasure. “There! Good. Now hold that pose!” _Click! Click! Click!_ Each time the camera would go off there would be a flash that would make Levi flinch. “Dang Levi, you’re a natural.”

 

            _Why did I agree to this?_

 

            “Okay. Now Levi, would you please move over towards the red couch please?” Levi eyed the couch and with hesitation he found himself there. He looked over at Eren. _What do I do?_ “Find a pose that feels comfortable… Sit on the couch if you’d like.” Levi nodded slowly. He settled onto the couch, crossed one his legs over the other, one arm rested over his leg meanwhile he set his elbow on the armrest chin in palm. With his bored emotionless expression, this was a perfect pose. _Click! Click! Click!_ Again, the flashes caused Levi to flinch slightly.

 

            _Ah, yes, I was blackmailed with our relationship… and Eren’s pouty face… Damn you, Eren…_

 

            Eren was practically bouncing up and down as he ran from his camera, “Hold up! I’m going to get something!” Levi watched as Eren was over by the costume rack again. He was searching through a prop box. “Yes! Here they are!” Eren said as he basically sprinted towards Levi. He held out several things. Handcuffs. A whip. And some gloves. “Put on the gloves first… I’d like to have you pose with the handcuffs and then the whip.” Levi took the handcuffs and watched as Eren made his way back to the camera. He put on the gloves, Levi sighed and sat down on the red couch. _Handcuffs… hum…_ Levi made the same pose as last time except instead of resting his chin on his hand, he extended his index finger and let the cuffs hang there. “Brilliant! I like that but…” Eren sighed as he thought. “Could you pretend that you’re trying to seduce someone..?” Levi’s brows furrowed at this request. _Pervert. I knew it._ “Maybe that someone could be me…” Levi watched as Eren’s face dusted with pink. “Could you pretend that you’re seducing me..? You know… Just imagine what you could _do_ with those handcuffs.”

 

            _Wow, Eren, way to be indirect… You’d like that wouldn’t you? Handcuffs…_ Levi eyed the cuffs and then Eren. He felt a small smirk make its way onto his face. _I bet you’d be willing to do that… See, look what you did… You got me thinking perversely…_ “If you want… I can use these handcuffs on you… I’ll make sure you _won’t_ get away.” Levi hadn’t even noticed that Eren had taken the pictures that time.

 

            Eren’s eyes were down casted as he approached Levi this time, he was very pink. They switched props and Levi now had a whip. It wasn’t one of those long ones… It was one of those ones that reminded Levi of fly swatters. This time, Levi stood up and away from the couch. He stood at a slight angle. Then, Levi lifted the whip so it was chest height, he held the handle with his left hand and the tip was held up with his fingers using his right hand. Honestly, Levi wasn’t too into whips… Considering he had been beaten with them before… But this was just a silly prop… and Eren was happy. The pictures were over in no time. “That was excellent, Levi… Thank you for doing that… I know it makes you uncomfortable to have your picture taken…”

 

            Levi shrugged, “I guess… it wasn’t _that_ bad… It was actually not as _bad_ as I thought it would be…” Levi gave Eren the whip. Now that Eren had his hands full it was easy to grab Eren. Levi pulled him close and stared up into his beautiful eyes, “I learned that you have a fetish for handcuffs… Tell me, Eren…” Levi rolled Eren’s name in his deep voice. Visibly, Levi saw Eren shiver. “Would you like me to handcuff you?”

 

            Eren was now a stuttering hot mess as he tried to answer Levi’s question, “I-I… W-well... You s-see…” Levi waited for Eren’s response.

 

            It was _cute_ to watch Eren fumble on his words like this. Levi smirked. _Oh, Eren… You make this too easy… Such a pervert… I guess that makes me one too… Considering that… I wouldn’t mind handcuffing you… Preferably, to the bed…_

 

            _Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!_ “Shit.” Eren cursed. He pulled out his phone. “This better be good.” Eren said as he answered the phone.

 

            Levi frowned. _Well that totally ruined my progress… I wanted to know what Eren was going to say… Tch. Whoever interrupted us… You’ll pay… Somehow… Some way…_

 

            “Yeah, I’m at my house. Why?” There was a pause, “Oh, fuck. Dude. I forgot… Yeah… The front door is open… Uh-huh. Just come downstairs… You know where it is… Yeah. I’m sorry. …Well I can’t help you there… No.” Eren sighed, “Just get your ass down here and let’s get this over with… What? Oh he’ll be fine… Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Bye.” Eren groaned.

 

            “What was that about? Who called?” Levi inquired. Whoever this was… They’d be coming over pretty soon. Levi hadn’t seen anyone visit Eren’s house before…

 

            There was a sigh from Eren before he answered, “That was Jean, and he’s coming over to do a quick photo shoot… You can stay down here and watch if you want or go back upstairs…” Eren snickered, “You should keep the costume on… Let’s see how long we can trick Horse-face, Jean.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you guys again for reading this~!  
> Thank you~  
> (눈_눈)


	15. Levi's Jealousy

Levi’s Jealousy

 

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             _Irritated._  That’s how Levi felt when he saw Eren and Jean together. He didn’t like how they were ‘ _buddy_   _buddy’_  with each other. He didn’t like how they hung out… How sometimes Jean would wrap an arm around his  _friend_  Eren. How they laughed together…  _Without_  him. Levi didn’t understand what was so  _funny_  anyway… It made him feel like he wasn’t close to Eren… Jean seemed to know so much about Eren, yet… Levi felt like he hardly knew anything about Eren…  _Jealousy_  is a bitch. Did Levi have it? Yes. Would he admit to it? No. Levi just wanted to punch Jean in the face for stealing Eren’s attention from him… That, and maybe punching Jean’s face would make him look less like a horse.

 

            Currently, Eren and  _Jean_  were working together to get his shitty photos done. Levi glared as he watched from the red couch that they had moved out of the way for the shoot. It was several feet, maybe two or three, away from where Jean was posing. To think that about an hour ago Jean had just came in, not to mention ruining Levi’s progress with Eren, and he could tell that his uniform was fake. Though, Levi could tell that Jean had fallen for it for at least five minutes before claiming that he was playing along to  _flatter_  him.

 

            “Hey, Levi. Why don’t you come over here?” Eren said with a big smile on his face. His eyes shined… Just like when he was alone with Levi… Except… It was Jean that was causing it.  _Damn you, Jean._

 

            “Does he always look grumpy?”

 

            Eren turned towards Jean with a scowl on his face, “Sometimes… But… You should see it. Levi is a naturalist…” Eren turned his head and while making eye contact with Levi, he said, “He’s so photogenic…  I finally got him to pose for me today. I’m so happy, you don’t even know.”

 

            “Is that so? We’ll let’s see then.” Jean said as he settled his hands on his hips. Levi frowned as he felt both of their eyes on him now… As much as he wanted to show off how good he was at being a ‘ _naturalist_ ’, he was still getting use to the idea  _of_  having his picture taken… That and he didn’t want to pose for some horse face. No… That was special, for Eren only.  _Besides, Eren promised that if I posed and took pictures, it would be for him and him only. No way in hell am I going to pose for Jean._

 

            Levi sighed as he looked between Eren and Jean. He didn’t want to pose…But Eren was giving him those damn puppy eyes and pouty lips again… And  _fuck._  “I don’t want to.”

 

            There was a moment of silence as Eren’s brows furrowed. He seemed to be thinking about something for a moment and then he seemed to come up with a conclusion. “Okay… Maybe some other time then.” Eren looked over at Jean, “Don’t worry about him… Levi tends to get camera shy.”

 

            Jean seemed to think what Eren had said was funny because he started to laugh. “Wh-what? You can’t be serious. Ha! Camera shy… That’s too funny.” Jean looked over towards where Levi sat, “How the fuck can you be a model  _and_  be camera shy? Not only you’re stupid, but you’re a midget too.” Jean proceeded to hold his arms over his stomach as he continued to laugh.

 

            Levi wanted to put an end to Jean…  _Now._  Too bad Eren said something first, “Jean. That’s rude. What the fuck. Don’t say that about Levi. He doesn’t have to-“

 

            “I’ll do it.” Levi interrupted Eren.

 

            “Nice. The midget grew some balls.” Jean said which received not only a glare from Levi but Eren as well. Levi found himself cracking his knuckles as he approached Jean and Eren slowly. There was a glint in his eyes. Levi wanted to punch Jean so hard.

 

            Eren must have sensed Levi’s anger because he stepped between them, “Jean, stop pissing Levi off… And Levi, calm down.” He sighed as he scratched the back of his head. He pointed at Jean first, “You. Get your ass over there.” Eren pointed away from the shoot. He then turned to face Levi, “And you. Just ignore horse face.”

 

            Levi grunted in annoyance, “You know Eren… Have you ever thought about changing his nickname to donkey face? Because Jean is more of an  _ass_  than a  _horse_.” And that was all he needed to say to have Jean turn around and push Eren out of the way. Levi soon found himself looking up to meet Jean’s gaze.

 

            “What did you say,  _midget?_ ”

 

            “Tch. I was just calling you by name,  _ass face._ ” Levi glared at Jean with his signature death glare. Was this a bad idea? Probably. Was he doing this because he was still jealous? Let’s just say that it wasn’t  _just_  jealousy now.  _Nobody calls me a midget and gets away with it…_

 

            Jean grunted, “Well at least I’m not a grumpy old man. Eren must feel horrible knowing that he has to have a hard ass like you around. Tell me,  _Levi_ , where did Eren find you? On the street? Well aren’t you the burden? Just living here… Taking up precious space and air.”

 

            “No…” Levi paused. He couldn’t technically tell Jean where Eren had really found him. “And I’m not a burden…”  _Am I?_  “I have a job. I pay for my own things…”  _I’ll pay Eren back… Somehow._

 

            “Oh really?” Jean crossed his arms as he stepped closer to Levi, “I don’t suppose you help pay the bills for this mansion. What about the food? And…” Jean extended his hand, grabbing onto the collar of Levi’s costume, “Who bought this? Surely it couldn’t have been you… This is expensive material, something which takes money…. Money that you don’t have…”

 

             _Such arrogance… You bastard… How dare you…_  “I can’t believe that Eren would be friends with an  _ass_  such as yourself. Besides, who are  _you_  to  _judge_  me? You don’t know me… You don’t-!” Levi flinched as he felt Jean push him back.  _That’s it. You’re going down._

 

            “Stop that!”

 

            The command from Eren fell on deaf ears as Levi finally got to punch Jean… Though, sadly it wasn’t the face, it was his gut. The impact wasn’t as strong as it could have been because Jean had dodged it, but it was enough to make Jean cough and fold over slightly.

 

            “Levi! Quit it! You too, Jean!”

 

            Again, Levi only heard Eren’s voice echo in his mind. Jean had picked a fight with him… And Levi wanted to end it. At least now he could correct Jean’s face… Levi leaned forward, swinging his fist right for Jean’s face. The impact would have been so  _sweet_ … If Jean hadn’t grabbed Levi’s wrist. Levi was actually surprised that Jean could stop him… But now wasn’t the time to stop now was the time to react…

 

            “Stupid midget…” Jean said as he forced Levi’s wrist up, moving it almost higher than what Levi could reach. Levi felt his heart race as his breath hitched slightly. He knew that he could easily pull out of this but his body wouldn’t move. Something about this felt way  _too familiar_. It was like a feeling of terror. A feeling he knew  _too_  well. Slowly, Levi felt himself lose balance as Jean pushed him backwards. He bumped into something as he shifted slightly. “What’s the matter? Having a hard time finding your balance?” Jean said as he pushed Levi hard. There was a split second that Levi had to react. He latched onto the closest thing to him. Ironically, it was Jean. They fell together.

 

            Levi thought the landing would be hard but no, it wasn’t. The landing was actually  _soft_. Levi blinked, he didn’t realize that he had closed his eyes. As he looked around he realized two things. One, he was on the red couch. And secondly… Levi cringed as he saw Jean on top of him, his body between his legs. Levi’s mind went blank as his eyes widened. The memory was all  _too_  real.  _No, not this again. Get off of me… Get off. Get off! GET OFF! I don’t want this. No, not again… Go away!_  “Get off of me!” Levi’s voice cracked as he literally threw Jean off of him. Jean landed with a thud several feet away from the couch, he groaned as he rolled onto his back.

 

            Quickly, Levi found himself off of the red couch as he made his way to the stairs. Eren called out to him, “Levi..! Are you okay? What was  _that_  about? You didn’t have to throw Jean like that, geez.” Levi felt Eren’s hand on his shoulder, stopping him. “…Levi…” Eren’s voice was soft as he spoke, “What is it? I’ve never seen you snap like that… Did something happen?”

 

            “S-sorry. I just…”  Levi blinked several times. He wanted to be alone for a while. “I’m going to my room… We can talk later…” Levi hesitated as he pulled away from Eren. “I’ll be waiting, so hurry you’re ass up…” He then went up the stairs, not waiting for Eren’s reply. He sighed in relief when he was finally alone…  _Why did I snap like that?_  Levi frowned.  _That was so long ago… Why am I remembering it now?_

 

            The mansion seemed quieter right now. As if screaming with silence. It was unnerving yet… Oddly comfortable.  _Familiar._  Levi made his way to the stairs. He couldn’t’ wait to curl up with his wings. He wanted to earlier but Jean was there… He grabbed onto the rail and took a step. He paused as he heard the door suddenly open, Levi turned his head to see who was at the door. In came a tall… Blond… With striking blue eyes… Well built.

 

            “Oh… I didn’t know that Eren had guest over…” The man smiled and Levi froze there, staring the man who just entered the house. “Don’t worry I’m not an intruder…” The man chuckled, “My name is Erwin, and I’m Eren’s boss. He works for my magazine company.” He paused, “And you are?”

 

            Levi swallowed. He frowned slightly as he felt sick to his stomach. There was something about this man that Levi didn’t like. It was kind of like the feeling he had with Jean…  _Jealousy._  As much as he didn’t want to tell this stranger his name, he would at least have the curtesy to do so. “Levi.” He muttered.  _Why can’t I know things about Eren..? This guy seems like he would know a lot about Eren… I mean he is Eren’s boss after all…_  But Levi also felt something off and unsettling about Erwin… Something he didn’t like… Over all, Levi felt like he should stay as  _far_  as he possibly could from this guy… His aura…  _Something_  about him just felt…  _off_ … and  _evil_.

 

            Erwin had a smug grin on his face, “So  _Levi_ ,” The way he said Levi’s name gave Levi the chills. “Do you know where I can find Eren?”

 

            Levi hesitated before answering…  _Something is not right about you…_ “He’s… In the basement… With Jean…” _I feel like…_ He muttered as he turned his back on Erwin. He made his way up the stairs… The whole time he felt Erwin’s eyes on him. Levi didn’t like the feeling one bit…  _It feels…_ He quickly went into his room, locking the door behind him. He stripped out of the costume Eren had given him and switched into comfortable pajamas. He folded the nice costume and placed it gently onto the desk.  _Somehow…_ Levi unfurled his wings and jumped onto the bed. His wing immediately folded around him.  _Familiar…_

 

 

            Look where  _jealousy_  got him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \--------------------------------------------------
> 
> Hey guys~ Thanks for reading and your comments~ I can't emphasize it enough how happy it makes me feel~ *^* SO THANKS~!
> 
> AND If you haven't done so, I would recommend my other story,
> 
> How the Monsters fall like Leaves
> 
> (눈_눈)


	16. Levi Tells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay~! SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT~!
> 
> THE CHAPTER YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!
> 
> SMUT Chapter WARNING!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> And if you are uncomfortable with RAPE SITUATIONS, then skip this chapter. 
> 
> ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥

Levi Tells

 

►

 

 

            _Attraction._ That was already established. It was something that Levi, for the longest time or so it felt, couldn’t deny. He already knew that he had an attraction to Eren. He already knew that Eren was attracted to him. And Levi also knew that he wanted to… _I want to have sex with him._ Levi sighed as he waited. Eren was _still_ downstairs from earlier. He was growing impatient. Though, at the same time, slightly nervous. He wasn’t sure if Eren would be interested in doing something like _that_ with _him_. Yet, there was something inside of him that made him smirk. He _knew_ Eren would want to… But it was more the, when was the right time to ask and all the other stupid shit like that.

 

            Giving up on waiting, Levi found himself getting up from the comfortable spot on the bed. He decided he should find something to distract him. He settled on taking a shower. He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought about it earlier. He blamed Eren, who still wasn’t here. After grabbing a towel and some even cleaner pajamas, he made his way to his bedroom door. Levi halted at the door. He sensed something but couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was. Though, whatever it was, it was an unsettling feeling. He looked at the door in front of him… It felt like someone was on the other side of the door. The sound of the door handle turning made Levi jumped backwards over a foot. He watched with a slightly startled expression as the handle turned again. _Thank goodness I locked the door…_ Levi watched as the handle was turned several more times before whoever it was gave up. Levi immediately tucked his wings in and pulled on a shirt. _Who the hell would be upstairs? Because if it was Eren, he would have just announced that it was him…_ Levi breathed slowly as he unlocked the door and took a peak. He glared out, only to see no one in the hallway.

 

            The hallway was completely empty. There was only two things that showed someone was up here. One, Levi could hear someone going down the stairs… And two, Levi cringed as he stepped on _dirt_ with his bare feet. _Whoever was upstairs had dirty shoes… And didn’t have the curtesy to take them off. Disgusting._ Levi sighed as he finally got out of his room. He looked both ways. _I wonder what they were looking for._ Levi looked down the hall again. There were only four doors upstairs… His room. Eren’s room. The bathroom. And… The other room Levi never had been in before… It was always locked. Levi quickly made it to the bathroom. He felt too uncomfortable to linger in the hall anymore. He locked the door behind him.

 

            After taking a shower, Levi dried off his hair with his towel then wrapped it around his waist. He felt so much better. _Cleaner._ Showers were good for calming his nerves. There was a settle knocking on the door that made Levi look up. “Levi?” It was Eren. Levi sighed in relief as he opened the door slightly. He was greeted by Eren’s charming smile. “May I come in?” Levi didn’t respond, he merely opened the door. He watched as Eren walked past him and started to take off his shirt. “I see you took a shower without me.” Eren’s voice seemed teasing and playful. “Did you save any hot water for me?”

 

            Now, Levi had to stare as Eren took off his shirt. He had enough sense to know that Eren would be well built. He could tell… And he was staring because this was actually… technically the first time Levi had seen Eren naked… Or at least stripping down to it. Eren is attractive, that was already something Levi knew. But _damn_ … “Well you had to be a brat and take forever. I got tired of waiting.” Levi watched as Eren started to take off his pants.

 

            “Are you enjoying the show?” Eren huffed, his cheeks had a light pink hue to them.

 

            “Certainly.” Levi nodded. He wasn’t going to deny that he had been staring. “You’re the one who started to strip in front of me.”

 

            Eren chuckled, “I did.” Levi watched as Eren’s eyes tailed down his body. “Is there a reason why you’re still naked?” From the tone of Eren’s voice it was clear that he was being _very_ suggestive. It was like he wanted to… Levi smirked at this conclusion. _Oh Eren… You have no idea…_ Eren glanced over at Levi again and then down at himself, his fingers pulling slightly on his boxers, “Want to join me?”

 

            _I was waiting for that question. Did you even have to ask?_ But Levi wanted to mess with Eren, “What? You and I… In the same shower?” Levi found himself approaching Eren. He watched as Eren’s cheeks went from a slight pink to a full on blush. _Cute._ “But I just took a shower.”

 

            “Well then perhaps you could make sure I clean myself right?” _Something so bold from a blushing brat._ Levi leaned forward, his hands brushed against Eren’s abdomen. His hands moved Eren’s hands over and Levi’s fingers were now around the waistband of Eren’s boxers.

 

            Levi hummed, “Tell you what, if you take a quick shower…” Levi slowly tugged Eren’s boxers down, “You’ll be able to find me in your bedroom. Because I think we both know that neither of us could keep our hands to their selves.” Levi found this erotically pleasing. It seemed that Eren didn’t mind that he was dominant… _Maybe he would let me…_ Levi realized he had pulled Eren’s boxers all the way off. And… He tried to not look. But he couldn’t help it.

 

            His staring must have caused Eren to feel uncomfortable because suddenly, Eren seemed more skittish, “A-alright. I’ll take a quick shower. S-see you there.” Levi watched as Eren hurriedly turned on the shower. As Eren got into the shower, Levi decided that now was a good time to leave. He pulled on some pajama bottoms, but that was _all_ he put on. He did want to take a shower with Eren… It would have been amazing, he was sure… He didn’t want to get carried away in the shower.

 

            Eren’s room was as the other times Levi had went in there. Though, there were more pictures hanging up. Most of them were of him… With his wings out. Some were, much to Levi’s irritation, of him sleeping… And then there was some scenery photos… Then, in the middle of it all… Was the picture of them together on the couch. Levi chuckled when he saw the surprised Eren picture he had taken. Looking at these photos made him feel like he was somehow closer to Eren… Yet… It was somehow unnerving… as he looked at the pictures of him flying… Him with his wings out… Him sleeping with his wings out… Walking around the house… With his wings out… _What if..?_ Levi frowned. “What if these are seen?”

 

            “Who would see them besides you or me?” Levi’s ears perked as he heard Eren walk into the room with handcuffs in his hand. _Wait what?_ Levi blinked twice. Sure enough, his eyes had not betrayed him. Eren had handcuffs in his hands. He also was only wearing some pajama bottoms. Levi watched as Eren got closer to him, his eyes flickered from Eren to the handcuffs.

 

            “When I was waiting for you in my room, someone came upstairs… I don’t know who, I didn’t look… But it seemed like they were looking for something… They even tried to enter my room. It honestly scared me for a moment…” Levi watched as Eren’s brows furrowed. He looked to be deep in thought. “Oi, don’t make yourself constipated.” He changed the subject. They could talk about that later… Because right now… Levi wanted Eren’s attention. “So… Why do you have those handcuffs?” He watched as Eren blinked several times before becoming flustered.

 

            Eren cleared his throat before answering, “I was hoping you could handcuff me… You, know… Like we were talking about earlier.”

 

            _Kinky little shit, aren’t you?_ Levi took the handcuffs from Eren. _I can’t believe you actually want me to do this…_ He sighed, “Get your ass on the bed…” Levi watched as Eren obeyed his command. He followed Eren to the bed. They both sat on the edge. _Why does this feel so wrong… yet right?_

 

            “Have you done this before?” The question caught Levi off guard. He looked down at Eren who seemed to have a quizzical look about him... Like he was testing Levi… But what for? Wait. He was asking if he had sex before right? _Am I just interoperating what he’s saying wrong?_

 

            There was a long pause before Levi could answer. He hesitated several times, opening his mouth and then closing it before he could actually muster something that remotely resembled a sentence, “Yes… I have…”

 

            Eren’s features seemed to lighten up, “What? Really? Do you remember your first time?”

 

            _Why are you asking me this?_ Levi frowned, “Yes… Of course I remember… How could I not?” _How could I forget..? It’s basically engraved into my mind…_

 

            Eren had wrapped his arms around Levi, “That’s great, I’m glad you remember.” He said as if it was a good thing. There was a smile plastered onto his face. “I thought you had forgotten everything…” He sounded hopeful.

 

            _What? I don’t… Good? No. It was bad._ Levi pushed Eren away, “No… I want to forget. I hated it… It was painful… I didn’t enjoy it at all. I don’t even know who it was.” Levi covered his face with his hands as the memories came back to him. _Why does have to be this way? Why are you happy about something like that? You sick bastard… I thought you cared…_

 

            “What? Levi… I… There must be a misunderstanding. What do you mean, you don’t know who it is?” Eren’s voice faltered, “I-it was painful..? You mean..?” Eren seemed to have been talking about something else earlier… His eyes seemed to widen in a pained expression.

 

            _I wish it didn’t have to come to this... I’m not sure if I’m ready to tell you… but… You’ll have to know sooner or later… I guess now would be the best time…_ “Eren… I was raped in my cage before… Several times.”

 

            As soon as those words left Levi’s lips, he found himself falling backwards onto the bed. He blinked several times before he realized that Eren had enveloped him in a tight embrace. “I’m sorry Levi, I didn’t know… I’m sorry… I’m sorry.” He repeated with a voice of regret, “It wasn’t in your health records…” Eren paused and pulled away enough to make eye contact with Levi. “And how is that possible? I didn’t know people could go into the cage.”

 

            “Alright… How about I explain a little…” Levi pushed Eren back so that they were sitting up. He grabbed Eren by the wrists, “May I?” Eren paused and nodded. He looked unsure as to what he was agreeing to. Levi gestured for Eren to lay down and as soon as Eren did, Levi moved, pushing Eren’s arms above his head. He then proceeded to handcuff Eren to the bed. Eren was wide eyed in bewilderment but didn’t say anything. Levi cleared his throat. “Just stay quiet while I tell you this, alright?” Levi received a nod. “Okay… So it was around the time that I had my rebellion with Isabel, Farlan, and Mikasa… I could tell that the scientists were upset… They lost three mutants… And the blame was pushed onto me… I knew I would be punished. I just didn’t know when or what my punishment would be… I honestly hoped it would be death…”

 

            Levi got up and off of Eren, he went over to Eren’s dresser. He rummaged around until he found something suitable. “And then one day a guard unlocked my cage door and with a gun pointing at me, he tied a blindfold over my eyes.” Levi said as he got back onto the bed, he leaned over Eren, tying the cloth he had over Eren’s eyes. “He told me to keep the blindfold on or he’d shoot. I almost took it off… but I don’t know what made me change my mind… So I waited there until I heard the alarm system go off. My cage door opened… And… I… Felt a hand on my shoulder…” Levi paused, looking down at Eren as he listened. “Before I knew it I was shoved onto my lame excuse for a bed and the guy used my shackled to restrain me onto the bed.” Levi pulled on Eren’s wrists, causing him to let out a hiss of pain. “I won’t burden you with too many details but… He then proceeded to take off my clothes, tearing them off if he had to. I told him to stop whatever he was doing and he slapped me.” Levi pinched Eren’s cheek instead of slapping him. “He began to touch me… Everywhere.”

 

            “Couldn’t you of-?” Eren tried to say but Levi covered his mouth.

 

            “Shh. I’m almost done… Sort of.” Levi said as he adjusted himself. He straddled Eren, his hand grazed up and down Eren’s chest lightly. “Eventually, he decided to take things further, his hands would drift…” Levi let his hand slide down Eren’s torso until it passed Eren’s abdomen, “He seemed to enjoy molesting me… Because he would grab me.” As Levi spoke, he groped Eren’s cock through his pajama bottoms.

 

            Eren’s breath hitched in response. “L-Levi… You don’t have to-”

 

            “Tch. What did I say, Eren?” Levi sighed and paused. He sat there for several long moments before leaning up to de-cuff Eren. _What am I doing?_ “S-sorry… I just…” He cleared his throat before summing the rest of his past, “…as you can probably guess… It didn’t end well for me… He forced himself on top of me, crushing me with his weight, and… proceeded to rape me… No matter how many times… I _screamed_ … I _begged_ … He wouldn’t _stop_. I remember the grunts that bastard made… I remember how he _bit_ me… Drawing _blood_ from my shoulder… He scarred me literally, physically and emotionally… And in the end, he had been so brutal to me… I was bleeding onto my clean sheets. I felt so _filthy_ …”

 

            By now Eren had taken off his blindfold, he looked up at Levi solemnly. In front of him he could see a man who had desperately fought to get where he is now. He had suffer through loss and pain. He had no one. He was alone… for all this time. He was burdened, carrying the weight of his friends’ deaths on his shoulders. He had no one to care for him… No one for him to care for. He looked lonely and depressed. His eyes were a gateway into the storm that constantly raged throughout him. It clouded his mind, blurred his judgment. It was like Levi had been reaching out blindly this whole time… Without anything to guide him. No one could save him from falling, not even his wings could help… But Eren could always been there… Like he had been for all this time. He, Eren, could soften the blow. _They_ could create _new_ things together. _I will erase those bad memories… and replace them with new, better memories. I’ll protect you… I don’t care what it takes._ “Levi…” Eren leaned up and cupped his winged boyfriends’ cheek, “I know I can’t change what happened in the past… But… If you’ll let me… I’d like to start new memories with you.”

 

            There was something inside Levi that burned, not with anger or sadness but happiness. _New memories, huh?_ And Eren was right. He couldn’t change the past... But _they_ could change the future. “Thank you… I’d like that…” Besides, Levi was tired of being tied to the past. He’d never forget, sure, but he decided that _now_ he’d live for the present, for the future. Above all, Levi would live for Eren. “…I love you.”

 

            Eren’s eyes brighten at those tender words, “I couldn’t _stop_ loving you, no matter how much I tried.” He leaned up, stealing a kiss from his beloved Levi. “I love you so much.” He smiled as his arms wrapped around Levi’s neck, pulling him closer. He hesitated, “May I see it… Your scar I mean.” Levi replied with a simple nod. He angled himself so that Eren could see the well-defined scar on his shoulder… It was horrible. Eren recalled the first time he saw Levi without a shirt on. It was when he was first learning to fly… He recalled seeing an oval-shaped scar but now that he had a closer look… He could even see the teeth marks… Whoever raped Levi… Bit him so fucking hard… Eren frowned at the sight. “I’m sorry for what happened… I know that won’t change anything but…” He sighed, “Levi you’re strong and you give me hope…”

 

            Levi didn’t really know what to say to that but… He appreciated what Eren had to say. Though, Levi felt like his mood was slightly ruined now… Yet… “Sorry I got carried away with…” Levi gestured to the situation that they were in, “ _This._ ”

 

            “Don’t worry about it…” A smile still hung onto Eren’s face, his right hand brushed Levi’s cheek. “…I uh…” Levi watched him blush, “I actually like it when you touch me… I mean… _Damn_ Levi… I feel terrible about what happened in you past… yet…”

 

            Rolling his eyes, Levi smirked. _Such a pervert… Then again, I guess I am one too._ “I understand. You’re an ignorant brat who can’t control his hormones…” Levi said in a teasing voice. “Tell me what you want.”

 

            “You already know what I _want_.” Eren looked at Levi dead on, there was intent in his eyes and… _Is that lust I see?_ Levi watched Eren huff and bit his bottom lip which was way cuter than it should have been. “I want you obviously, Levi. And starting now, I’d like to make new memories…”

 

            “What do you mean?”

 

            Eren sighed, as if growing impatient. His hand pushed strands of Levi’s raven hair from his face, “Dammit Levi, I want you to _f-fuck_ me.”

 

            _Shit. I didn’t expect… That…_ Such a blunt and honest answer from Eren caused Levi to freeze. He didn’t know why but his heart raced. _Well at least we’re on the same page…_ Levi chuckled softly. He purposely brushed both hands up Eren’s chest, his fingers rubbed against Eren’s nipples in a casual manner. “ _You_ want _me_ to fuck _you._ Did I hear that correctly? _You_ want to bottom?”

 

            To Levi’s surprise, he received an eager nod from Eren, “Yes…” Eren suddenly got up and went over to his dresser, he rummaged around before finding what he was looking for. When he came back, it was evident that Eren had been prepared for this moment. He put the small bottle of lubricant in Levi’s hands. “I’ve been waiting for t-this…” He said with a blushing face, “And yes, I want to b-bottom.” His tone was serious despite his cute stutters, “Is t-that okay?”

 

            Levi nodded, “Yes… Why wouldn’t it be okay?” Levi slowly found himself pushing Eren down into the bed. He set the bottle within a good distance so that way he could use it later. He then crawled over to Eren, straddling him. “I honestly have been wanting you for a while now…” Levi leaned down and kissed Eren lips. They finally could do this… After all this time. Levi couldn’t deny that he was excited. His hands explored Eren’s warm skin, this time taking in every detail. His hands stopped at the edge of Eren’s pajamas in hesitation. And that hesitation caused Eren to pull him down in a forceful kiss that was filled with lust. They deepened the kiss, Levi gaining control as Eren gave him permission to enter. For a moment, Eren fought to steal the dominance from Levi, but Levi didn’t give it to him. Their tongues danced in a rhythm caught somewhere between passion and lust.

 

            This sweet distraction was all Levi needed to not hesitate anymore. His hands proceeded to pull Eren’s pajama bottoms down and all the way off. When they separated the kiss to breathe, Levi realized that Eren had just taken his pajama bottoms off leaving both of them completely naked. _Beautiful._ Levi let his hands glide over Eren’s lower abdomen and then trail down Eren’s upper thighs. It was amusing to see Eren squirm under him. He let his instincts take over him. He gave Eren a rough kiss and that kiss turn into a tail a smaller kisses that went down his cheek, his neck, and all the way to Eren’s neck. Nibbling on Eren’s collar bone, Levi was rewarded with a small moan from Eren.  He felt Eren’s hands on his back, right over his scars. It made him feel comfortable yet… _aroused_.

 

            After several literally getting a feel for Eren, Levi was sure that he had him memorized. Technically, Levi wasn’t really too sure of _how_ to do this. He had always been on the receiving end as far as he could remember. But being with Eren felt different… He always made Levi feel like this was all _familiar_ … like they could have done this in the past. That’s how familiar Eren felt… It was a wonderful feeling. Levi leaned over, reaching for the lube, one of Levi’s hands ran up Eren’s leg and caressed his inner thigh as he lifted it onto his shoulder. Had he not been so eager, Levi would have stopped and stared at how _pretty_ Eren was. But now wasn’t the time to stop. His eyes raised up to Eren’s before he opened the bottle, squirting some on his hand. He didn’t want to hurt Eren. Levi had experienced pain before… And Eren was trusting him enough to let him do this… Thus, that clearly meant Eren trusted Levi not to hurt him. And Levi would try hard not to hurt Eren… _Ever_ if he could. “Tell me if I hurt you, or if you want me to stop, okay?” Levi watched Eren nod.

 

            Eren seemed to spread his legs giving Levi more access. He decided that it was now or never. Slowly, Levi found himself rubbing his fingers at Eren’s entrance, then pressing in with his index finger. Eren let out a little sigh. What was surprising was how tight Eren was. _I’m supposed to fit in here?_ Levi shrugged the thought away, somehow he knew that this would work out. Otherwise, why would they be doing this? That was a question he could halfway answer. They were doing this because they loved each other. And… well… because they were both pretty hard right now. Levi must have been caught up in thought because he found that Eren was already moving slightly into his hand. Levi decided that he should add another finger, again causing Eren to sigh. His cheeks were flushed pink. _Cute._

 

            _Why the hell hadn’t this happened sooner?_ Levi’s thoughts were flooded with lust. His heart raced for what was happening and for what was going to happen. And if he remembered correctly… _There’s a sweet spot…_ With that thought in mind, Levi worked his way to three fingers. Levi kissed up Eren’s inner thighs, glancing up at Eren as he did so. He knew he was close to finding Eren’s sweet spot because Eren would moan more, which was, a very hot sound in Levi’s opinion. Levi knew he found it when he thrust his fingers and Eren let out a moan louder than before. “L-Levi-!” There was a gasp from Eren, “You’re d-driving me insane. F-fuck me already.” His hips bucked upwards into Levi’s hand.

 

            “Someone is needy.” There was a smirk that made its way to Levi’s face. Eren was practically begging for him right now and Levi wanted to please Eren. He pulled out his fingers, Eren whimpered in displeasure from the lack of friction, and added lube to his own erection. Watching Eren get all wound up and aroused made him this hard? _Damn._ Levi positioned himself between Eren’s legs and in a last moments hesitation he asked, “Are you sure?”

 

 

 

            Eren sighed, “Yes, Levi I’m a needy b-brat. Now fuck me… _Please_.” _Alright, if that’s what you want…_ Levi groaned in a low voice when his cock was enveloped by Eren’s tight hole. It felt _amazing_. They finally, in a weird sense, have become one. _Power_ … that was something Levi never really had before. And he had it now. With Eren. He had power over Eren. Oh _joy._ Still going with his instincts, Levi waited until Eren got used to him. There was no way he’d hurt Eren the way he was hurt… And just when Eren seemed to get impatient again, Levi pulled almost all the way out, only to thrust right back in. He knew that he was doing it right because Eren let out a moan in pleasure. He leaned down, capturing Eren’s lips in kiss as he began to slowly thrust into Eren. “Ngh… L-Levi…”

 

            _Union_. Together. Levi felt his heart flutter as Eren made, yet another hot sound. This experience was all new… Yet _familiar_. To think… _He_ was the one who was making Eren feel this good. On the flip side, Eren was tight and slick and Levi felt like he could just lose himself in this… In Eren. Levi watched as Eren desperately grabbed onto the bed sheets below him as he started to thrust in earnest, thrusting faster. Eren’s knuckled seemed to turn white as he gripped the bed, his face was tomato red, and his was back arched up. It was truly a beautiful sight… And it was all Levi’s… Eren was his. He belonged to him.

 

            Soon, Levi’s own thrusts were being met with Eren’s. He was making cute muttering sounds as he tried to talk, “Ngh… H-harder Levi..! H-ah!-rder!”

 

            “As you wish, Eren.” Levi obliged Eren, fucking him rougher and harder than before. Honestly, he was enjoying himself. He liked being this aggressive, dominant… and on top. Levi pinched Eren’s nipples, he was gaining confidence as he kissed Eren’s cheek, trailing down to his neck. Levi left small bite marks and butterfly kisses on Eren’s neck. He could feel Eren moving with him causing the bed to creak slightly with every thrust. One hand continued to pinch and caress Eren’s nipples while the other snaked down Eren’s abdomen. His hand stroked along Eren’s length.

 

            “Oh-!” Eren gasped, “Levi!” His hand were holding onto Levi’s shoulders, his nails digging into Levi slightly. “Y-yes… Ah! Fuck..! I’m getting close!” Those words were music to Levi’s ears, though he could also feel himself at the edge of release as well. Levi proceeded to thrust into Eren, increasing his pace slightly, his thrusts were becoming shallower.

 

            Levi leaned forward, his breath hot over Eren’s neck causing his to shutter. “Cum for me, Eren…” Levi said in a deep sultry and seductive voice. Watching Eren come undone under him was breathtaking. Eren was his. _His._ Levi worked Eren’s cock, he could tell that Eren was about to-

 

            “Levi!” Eren moaned in utter bliss as he came into Levi’s hand and Levi could only stand a few more thrusts before spilling inside of Eren.

 

            “Ngh… Eren…” Levi let out low groan as he finished cumming. They were both panting hard as Levi slowly pulled out. He barely had time to recover before Eren pulled him down into a kiss. Levi then adjusted himself so that he could lay next to Eren. They immediately cuddled into each other’s arms. Despite being filthy and sweaty, Levi allowed this because he was tired and he didn’t want to leave Eren’s side. He wanted to stay as long as he could.

 

            There was a moment of silence and Levi found himself falling asleep in Eren’s arms when he heard Eren mutter in a half sleepy voice, “I love you Levi…” Then there was a pause, “I still love you… even after all this time… I came back for you…” He yawned, “Just like I promised…” Eren let out a soft giggle. “Even you don’t remember… One day, I hope you will…  And even when you don’t… Fuck Levi, your body remembers… It remembered… Maybe you’ll remember…” He seemed to be talking half asleep to himself. “And maybe… Just maybe… We can love each other like we did before the accident…” Levi’s brows furrowed. _What? Accident? Remember? Was Eren talking about his past?_ But as soon as Levi was going to ask Eren what he was talking about, he had fallen asleep. Levi sighed and nuzzled Eren’s chest softly. _I’ll ask you tomorrow then._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥ ♥o♥  
> Oh. And this is NOT a Reincarnation AU


	17. Levi's First Celebration Party

Levi’s First Celebration Party

 

►

 

            _Possibility._ There was so much possibility for Levi ever since he left his cage. If he had never left his cage, he wouldn’t have known that there was a possibility to fly. He wouldn’t have known that there was a whole new world out there. That getting a job was actually hard. And that there so many new things. His world was wider than before. Levi didn’t know that there was a possibility to live so freely. To eat whatever, to wear what he wanted, to try new things. All of these possibilities were pleasures that people seemed to take for granted but not Levi. He took each possibility in stride. The possibilities were endless. Because now Levi had the possibility to do many things. Without possibility, Levi wouldn’t have known it was possible to _love_.

 

            After last nights’ events Levi found himself waking up well into the afternoon. Later than he had ever slept in before. It was almost three. _Shit._ Levi shot out of bed, getting to his feet and looking around. _Eren isn’t in bed so he must be downstairs._ Levi thought as he stretched and grimaced. He was still naked. _Gross._ Levi frowned as he came upon the realization that he had slept… _Dirty._ With the disturbing thought in mind, he quickly got some clean clothes and walked into the bathroom. He took a quick shower and then made his way downstairs.

 

            Downstairs was seemingly quiet except for some shuffling in the kitchen. Levi followed the sound. He made it into the kitchen spotting Eren cooking something. “Good afternoon sleepy head.” Eren chuckled as he turned towards Levi. “Sleep well?”

 

            Levi’s lips pulled up slightly, “I slept better than I thought was possible…” And then he crossed his arms and frowned, “I can’t believe you let me sleep in this long… What are you making?” Levi asked as he approached Eren. There was a crock pot filled with… _meat?_ Well whatever it was, it smelled… Levi’s stomach grumbled. “So when do I get to eat that?”

 

            “Later.” Eren smiled.

 

            “Later? For what?”

 

            “Well…” Eren scratched the back of his head sheepishly, “For the celebration party that’s tonight. I was hoping you could come with me.”

 

            Levi’s brows furrowed, “How come you never told me until now? What’s it for?” He found himself slightly curious.

 

            “Honestly I thought you would tell me that you didn’t want to come. It’s for my company. We’re closing early for the holidays. I just wanted you to come. You know, to keep me company. That’s it.”

 

            “And what if I don’t want to go?” Levi smirked as Eren pouted. Eren was cute when he pouted. Which reminded Levi somehow of last night. “Oh… and about last night…” Eren seemed to freeze as if he got in trouble. Or like he knew what Levi was going to ask. “Do you remember anything you said to me before you went to sleep?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “Well?” Levi pressed for more information. “What did you mean by all the things you said? I don’t remember, my body does… What don’t I remember?” Levi watched Eren bite his lip, obviously thinking way too hard about what he was going to say. Then his face change. A smirk pulled onto his face. Levi suddenly didn’t feel good about what Eren was about to say.

 

            “How about we make a deal. Yes?” Eren made his way closer to Levi, his hand stroked the raven’s soft hair. He ruffled it slightly. “If you come with me to the celebration party, then after it… I promise to tell you everything.” Eren smiled gently. There was a warm glow in his eyes. The vibe Levi was getting was that of happiness and honesty. “I think it’s about time for you to know what happened.”

 

            “So… this has something to do with my _body_ remembering?”

 

            “Alright, I’ll give you a hint.” Eren said as he nodded, “I took your virginity and you took mine.” Eren leaned in, kissing Levi’s lips softly. _What?_ Levi didn’t understand. _How could that happen? I thought I was in a cage..?_ “Don’t think about it too hard Levi.” Eren giggled, “I told you, I’ll explain _everything_.”

 

▐►►

 

            To say the least, the party seemed lively. There was actually a decent amount of people here. There was music playing from speakers, hidden away where Levi couldn’t see them. There were people drinking, eating snacks and all were engaged in some kind of conversation. Though some would pause to glance in Levi’s direction. He huddled himself closer to Eren. His hand squeezing Eren’s tightly and Eren squeezed back in a comforting manner. Eren seemed to be leading the way. They soon were standing in front of a table with food and drinks. Eren handed Levi a drink, “Here Levi, drink this. It will help you calm down.” Levi looked at the glass, clearly not understanding how it was supposed to calm him down… Levi took a sip, taste testing it. _Oh._ Levi flinched slightly. _I should have known… It’s alcohol…_ Eren smiled as Levi took another sip of the beverage. _It tastes funny._

 

            They walked around again. Levi remained huddled close to Eren as they walked, carefully holding his glass while trying to not drop or spill it. Eren seemed to be looking for someone. He moved faster once he spotted who he was looking for, Levi almost spilled his drink. It was none other than Armin, whose face broke into a smile. “Hey! Glad to see you.”

 

            Eren greeted his friend, “Armin! How are you?” They then hugged each other. Levi watched awkwardly as Eren seemed to forget he was standing next to him. He proceeded to sip his alcohol waiting for them to break it up and when they did, Eren giggled softly, “Oh, um… Do you remember Levi?” Eren gestured towards Levi who gave Armin a small wave.

 

            “Yes.” Armin smiled. “I’m surprised you got him here.” The way he said that made him sound surprised. _Now why would he be surprised?_

 

            Eren’s brows furrowed in confusion, “What do you mean?”

 

            “Well when I first met him, he was shy… Or at least that’s what I thought. Anyway, I think it’s good that he’s getting out and about.” Armin turned towards Levi, “Is everything going well?”

 

            Shrugging, Levi looked between Eren and Armin, “I guess.” Eren nudged Levi. He looked up at the brunet. Eren made a face as if to say, _keep going._ Levi sighed and reluctantly continued to talk, “I got a job at the bakery… And tried out modeling for Eren.” Levi looked up at Eren who nodded in approval.

 

            Armin was quiet for a moment, thinking about whatever he thinks about. He was about to talk when suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder and a tall blond figure made his way next to Armin. “Sorry, am I intruding?” He chuckled. …It was Erwin. And being this close to him… Made Levi cringe at how uncomfortable he was. “Hello Armin, Eren… Oh and Levi. It’s nice to see you again.” Levi merely clutched his glass tight in his hand and took another sip. Something felt off and Levi couldn’t explain what it was.

 

            _Numbness_ is what Levi felt. It was weird. He felt like he couldn’t move, couldn’t talk… Couldn’t breathe. He barely felt something nudge his side. Levi looked over to see that it was Eren, he was leaning closer. His brows were furrowed as he whispered to Levi, “Are you okay?” Levi shook his head. _No. I don’t feel okay... I want to leave…_ “Then how about you get me a drink?” Eren asked coolly, then he whispered again, “Don’t worry. I’ll find you and we can talk, okay?” Levi nodded and turned away from Eren, Armin and Erwin. The whole time Levi felt eyes on him and when he turned his head to check, he accidently made eye contact with Erwin.

 

            The people around Levi were oblivious to how he was feeling right now. He didn’t know why he felt this way. _Sickly_. _Disgusted_. He found himself placing his glass down. Disregarding it, he left it behind. Levi knew that Eren didn’t really want another drink, it was just an excuse for him to leave. Honestly, Levi felt so much better. He took this moment of alone time to breathe and relax. _Why do I feel like this? Was it-?_ Someone bumped into him causing Levi to stumble slightly. He forgot his train of thought as he turned around. _Great. Someone else to make my night worse._ It was Jean. “Oh! S-sorry! Wait… It’s only you shorty.”

 

            “Tch. _Ass face_.”

 

            Levi watched as Jean crossed his arms. He looked very displeased to have bumped into Levi. “What are you doing here?

 

            “I came here with Eren. He wanted me to come… I wanted to stay home.” Levi paused and glanced at the ground and then Jean. “Look. I don’t feel good and I don’t want to deal with your shit, nor do I want to start a fight. So just leave me alone.” Levi said as he walked away from Jean, but he couldn’t because Jean pulled on his arm. “What?” Levi glared back at Jean.

 

            “I…” Jean paused quickly, trying to find his words. “Sorry… About yesterday… I guess I was jealous or some shit and I didn’t mean to freak you out.” He let go of Levi’s arm looking slightly apologetic.

 

            _Well that was certainly unexpected… An apology?_ Levi looked at where Jean had grabbed him and then up at Jean, who was taller than he was… _Fuck all of you tall people._ “It’s… Alright.” Levi huffed in relief. “I just have been through a lot… And I’m sorry too, Jean… For freaking out on you and throwing you to the ground.”

 

            There was a chuckle from Jean, “Yeah man, I don’t even know how you did that. Are you some weightlifter or something?”

 

            Levi shrugged, “I could be. Guess you better be careful.”

 

            “Yeah… No thanks, I’d rather live.” He held out his hand to which Levi hesitated before shaking it. Eren had come up by now, a small smile was on his face. “I guess I’ll see you around. See you.” Jean waved slightly, departing.

 

            “I’m glad you and Jean don’t hate each other.” Eren said as he took Levi’s hand. He took Levi to a different room where there was no other people. It looked similar to a photo shoot, kind of like the one in Eren’s basement. “So… Tell me what happened. You looked all freaked out and stuff earlier.”

 

            “I just…” Levi frowned as he looked up at Eren. “I don’t know what happened. I started to feel sick and uncomfortable. I… couldn’t breathe or move…” Levi could see the worry in Eren’s eyes. He bit his lip, “I’m okay… Maybe I was just flipping out because of all the people here…” Levi lied. He knew what was bothering him. He just didn’t want to worry Eren more than he already was. They could talk about it when they got home.

 

            It didn’t look like Eren bought what he said. He sighed and nodded to himself, “Alright. We’ll go home then.”

 

            “But we just got here.”

 

            “It’s fine, Levi. And if anyone asks, I’ll say that you were not feeling well.” Eren squeezed Levi’s hand, “I have something I need to get from my studio. You can wait here so you don’t have to go out there.” Levi let Eren kiss his lips. “We can exit out that door.” Eren pointed at the door behind Levi that he hadn’t noticed before.

 

            “I’m sorry, Eren.” Levi said as he looked down. What a terrible night this was… And he was the one to ruin it.

 

            Levi felt Eren’s hand pull up his chin, they made eye contact, “I told you, it’s fine Levi.” Eren smiled as he turned, walking away. Levi watched as Eren left the room. He felt kind of bad, knowing that he was the reason for them leaving early. But Eren said it was okay… And for that, Levi was grateful. He relaxed, waiting for Eren quietly. While he was waiting, he took the time to look around. There was a noticeable amount of different lights, cameras, props and so on. Levi walked up to one of the cameras. It looked like something Eren had.

 

            “Are you having fun looking at my camera?” Levi froze, startled by the voice. His heart raced as he turned around. It was Erwin again. He was carrying two drinks. “Oh… Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” Levi watched as Erwin approached him slowly. “Eren told me that you’re shy and that’s why you wanted to leave.” He extended his hand, holding a glass out to Levi. “I’m truly sorry if I frightened you. I mean, if you get to know me I’m a nice guy. So here… Please take this as a peace offering.” He chuckled. Levi stared at the glass of alcohol. Why did he have to feel this way when this guy was being nice to him? Levi hesitantly took the glass from Erwin. He watched as Erwin finished his glass.

 

            “Um… Thanks…” Levi looked down at his glass of alcohol, he brought it to his lips and took a sip. He didn’t know why he was drinking it because the last glass he had tasted weird and this one was just as weird. Maybe a little weirder.

 

            “So you must be waiting for Eren, right?” Erwin asked and Levi nodded, taking another sip of his alcohol. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’ll wait with you.” Erwin smiled and Levi shrugged slightly. He wondered what was taking Eren so long as he sipped his alcohol. It was weird. Levi didn’t realize that he had finished his glass before he looked at the empty cup awkwardly. “You know, when I first saw you… I thought that you’d make a great model.” Levi looked up from his glass to the floor, he noticed the boots Erwin had on. They had dried mud on them. _Does he seem closer?_ Erwin had a smug grin on his face as he spoke, “And I was right…” _Wait. Mud… Dirt. His shoes… That means he was…_ Levi looked up at Erwin. “But don’t worry, you’ll remember. I was surprised to-”

 

            “It was you.” Levi interrupted, backing up slowly, “You were the one who went upstairs…” _Damn, why do I feel dizzy? Fuck… He must have drugged my drink…_ The realization struck Levi like lightning. Faster than what he could catch… Now all he was waiting for was the after effects. _Thunder._

 

            Erwin nodded as he took a step forward. “You know, your wings are _very_ beautiful.” Levi frowned, feeling uncomfortable with this topic. He didn’t like where this was headed. Levi took a step back only to bump into the wall. _Since when was there a wall there?_ He swallowed slowly. “And it’s too bad… You don’t seem to remember me… Or anyone for that matter. But I do… I remember you. I find it cute how Eren tried to keep you a secret. ” Erwin extended his hand and Levi flinched, throwing his glass at Erwin. Levi knew that something was wrong because he had missed, the glass had fallen and shattered on the floor. “Look what you did, you broke the glass.” Erwin calmly placed his empty glass down.

 

            There was a sense of urgency to get away from Erwin as he got closer. Again Erwin extended his hand, resting it on Levi’s shoulder. Immediately Levi reacted, taking Erwin’s hand off his shoulder. He cursed, “Don’t fucking touch me.” And Levi was pushing Erwin back, but Erwin was stronger. No matter how many times Levi pushed Erwin he only seemed to get closer. Even as his vision blurred and he became unbalanced Levi kept fighting. He felt himself slipping, losing consciousness. Losing the battle. Falling- like lightning from the sky. Dark- like the night. Gone- like the sound of thunder.

 

            “I’ll make sure you’ll remember…”


	18. Levi Needs Help!

Levi Needs Help!

 

◄◄▐

 

            _Terrible._ “I should have seen this coming…” _Why did this have to happen? And to think everything was going so well… Only to go downhill…_ Eren found himself disappointed, yet slightly worried. _I should have known that Levi was going to be uncomfortable…_ Eren sighed. _I moved this too fast. Levi wasn’t ready. But… Hopefully… Just maybe everything will make sense when I explain everything to him… About the past. The part of his life he forgot. I’ll help him remember… And then we’ll create new memories together… Just like I wanted to begin with. Maybe he’ll even start to remember… Maybe he’ll remember the love we shared…_

 

            Eren hustled to his studio, making sure to be quick about it. Levi was waiting for him after all. He was unstable still, as much as it made Eren sad… Levi still had a lot of ground to cover. _He has no memory what’s so ever, yet… his body seemed to remember._ Eren smirked at that thought. At least they had a start… But there was something else that was troubling Eren beside Levi’s memory loss… It was the fact that nothing in Levi’s documents, nor health documents was there anything recorded about Levi… being raped or even molested. There was nothing. Natta. Zip. And Eren was looking forward to discovering what else happened to Levi _and_ wasn’t recorded. Plus, Eren was sure that Levi was very curious about his true past and Eren couldn’t wait to tell him.

 

            There was a big understanding of why Levi had freaked out. Yes, there was a lot of people… but Eren had a feeling it was something much more than that. Eren swallowed. _But it couldn’t be, could it? I had been so careful… There’s no way Levi was recognized…_ Eren huffed impatiently as he struggled to unlock his door. He didn’t want to keep Levi waiting any longer than he had to. Eren quickly went in, grabbing the camera that he came here for and double timed back.

 

            After locking the door, Eren made his way back to the studio that he left Levi in, only to be sniffed. He froze and sighed. “Really, Mike? Do you have to smell me?” Eren rolled his eyes, “I mean you’ve done it once, so why do you feel the need to do it again?” Eren crossed his arms in irritation.

 

            Mike smiled smugly and nodded. “Because. It’s necessary.” He playfully pushed Eren’s shoulder. “What have you been up to? I haven’t seen you around lately.”

 

            “Oh nothing really I guess. Just getting my job done.” Eren paused thoughtfully. “I can’t wait for Christmas… It’s weird because it feels like it’s coming so fast, yet it also feels like it’s taking its sweet ass time getting here. You know what I mean?”

 

            There was a chuckle from the tall blond man. “Yes. I understand. At least it’s about two and a half weeks away.” Mike hummed as he looked down at Eren, “Is there anyone special you’re planning to share your holidays with?”

 

            A smile automatically made its way to Eren’s face. He couldn’t help it. He was so excited to show Levi Christmas… And Eren was also excited to celebrate Levi’s birthday together… Eren had the details all planned out. It would be so fun… He just hoped Levi would appreciate it. “Yeah… I planned to share my holidays with someone special to me… I’m not sure if you’ve seen him before.” Eren blushed slightly. “He’s my boyfriend and… I can’t wait to have Christmas with him.”

 

            “Oh? A boyfriend? How come I didn’t know about this? Who is it?” Mike crossed his arms as he stood in Eren’s way.

 

            Eren hesitated before answering, “His name is Levi. And I haven’t really told too many people. I figured Levi would be upset or irritated that I told people. That, and I don’t want random people walking up to Levi asking about our relationship… He gets nervous around strangers sometimes… He’s a little shy around certain people I suppose.” Eren shrugged as he started to walk passed Mike. “And he’s not feeling well right now so I was going to leave early and take him home.”

 

            “Oh?” Mike stepped in the way again blocking Eren’s path. “Is he sick? I hope he gets better…”

 

            Eren found himself slightly irritated by Mike’s actions. It was like he was purposely trying to keep Eren from the room… _Shit_. “You know, it was nice chatting with you Mike but I _need_ to go see Levi now. So if you’ll excuse me. Bye.” Eren pushed past Mike. His goal clear. He ignore anything else that Mike said and just as soon as he was about to open the door, he felt a tap on the shoulder. “What?” Eren snapped.

 

            Jean flinched from Eren’s tone. “I was just going to wish you happy holidays, jeez Eren.”

 

            Eren sighed and nodded, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap on you. Thanks Jean… You too. Happy holidays.” He gave Jean a small wave. “I’ll see you around.”

 

            Jean chuckled and winked, “Yeah. Yeah… Have fun with Levi.”

 

            “Shut up.” Eren said as his cheeks turned a light shade of pink. He watched Jean leave and then Eren turned his attention back to the door. This time no one interrupted him as he opened the door. _Finally._ Eren sighed in relief. “Hey Levi, I’m back…” Eren’s brows furrowed as he expected to see Levi… But there was no one here… The studio was empty. _No… What happened? Where did Levi go?_ Eren felt like his heart stopped beating. _What’s going on?_ Eren looked around the studio. _Crunch._ Eren looked down and saw shattered glass… “Fuck… No… This can’t be happening…” He had a terrible feeling about this. That’s when Eren noticed that the exit door was slightly ajar. “Levi… Where are you?” Eren felt himself panic. _No… Not again…_ Eren felt his lip quiver. “I can’t lose you again… Levi.”

 

            Gone. Levi was _GONE._

 

            The familiarity of this was all too real for Eren. He looked around the room frantically for anything that could be a lead to where Levi went or what happened to him. He looked around the studio and all he could see was… _Cameras._ The idea hit Eren like a wall. His eyes darts around the ceiling, the walls until finally he spotted a security camera mounted onto the wall. Eren thought that the angle was just right. Surely, if that camera was working, it had seen what happened. Eren turned on his heel, making a mad dash to the security room. He passed people with strange looks on their faces. He ignored the calls he got as he ran through the hall, passing several different studios.

 

            “Looking for something?” Eren stopped what he was doing and cocked his head, his hand on the doorknob of the security room. He looked back at Erwin who was locking the door behind him. He had a smug look on his face.

 

            “Yes.” Eren said hurriedly, “You wouldn’t happen to see where Levi went by any chance?”

 

            Erwin merely shrugged while scratching his head in a thinking manner, “I haven’t seen him since earlier. I’ve been locking up the doors this whole time. You know, getting ready to close up.” He chuckled and sighed softly. Erwin turned and started to walk away from Eren, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be of any help. I hope you find Levi and happy holidays, Eren.” Erwin gave Eren a little wave as he left and Eren returned the wave. Eren watched as Erwin left, his eyes brushed over what he was wearing…

 

            “Hey Erwin, maybe you should ask Santa for a clean pair of boots.” Eren received a chuckle in response. “Happy holidays.” Eren said as he went into the security room. He found the monitors easily. There was no one in the room, probably because everyone was at the party. Luckily it didn’t take Eren long to figure out what monitor to use. He replayed the feedback at least thirty minutes… Only to find it blank. There was _nothing._ “No… No. What the-! It was erased!” Eren yelled as he slammed his fists onto the desk. _Who the fuck would erase it?_ Eren found himself running out of the security room, his anger blinding him. He pushed people out of the way. _What happened? Why?_ Questions plagued his mind. Eren was drastically searching for _something_ to lead him in a direction to find Levi.

 

            Even after his desperate searching and looking, the party ended. Eren _still_ hadn’t found Levi yet. He was worried. He thought of everything. _Maybe he is hiding? Maybe he walked home? But that’s a LONG way… Maybe he flew home? Maybe someone took him home?_ Eren gasped, _Maybe someone took him!?_ Eren found himself breaking the speed limit to get home. He had called Levi’s phone like fifty times by now, plus leaving a hundred more texts. Eren was shaking as he entered his house. He kicked off his shoes and tore off his socks. He knew what he needed to do now. He needed to call… Wait. Eren couldn’t call the police… If something happened and Levi had his wings out… _Shit. This could be bad…_ Eren sighed, rethinking of who he could call.

 

            He called Hanji.

 

▐►►

 

            It wasn’t long before Hanji was at Eren’s home… And maybe that wasn’t a good idea… Because she was freaking out more than Eren was. “WHAAAAT!?!?!? How could this happen, Eren!?!?” She was currently pacing around the room, her hands messing frantically through her already cluttered hair. “Oh my- Do you know where he went? Why did he leave?”

 

            Eren felt like pulling out his hair. All Hanji was doing was making him more nervous than he already was. He already knew. He _knew_ that this wasn’t good and Hanji was only making this worse. “For the millionth time, Hanji, I don’t know… I don’t know where he is… I don’t know… I don’t _know._ ” Eren bit his lip while his mind ran through every scenario. He was looking for any leads, details, _hints_ as to what happened. _What went wrong?_

 

            “Are you sure he didn’t just run away?” Hanji asked as she quickly approached Eren. “What did you do to him!?” She asked Eren accusingly.

 

            Immediately Eren raised his hands up in defense, “No, I’d never do anything to make him run away…” Eren frowned as his brows furrowed, “How could you think that… I love Levi…” And that seemed to shut Hanji up. She looked at Eren, completely frozen. Eren used this moment to speak, “We… He used to know me… But he doesn’t remember… It was all because of some stupid accident… My mother was killed and Levi lost his memories as well as one of his wings were nearly severed off… The white one-” Eren was cut off by Hanji. He felt her arms around him. He let Hanji embrace him. It was oddly… _Comforting._

 

            “I’m sorry…” And then she paused. One minute turned into two and she was still hugging Eren. It was beginning to get awkward, until Hanji spoke up again. “So… Has he been remembering things?”

 

            “Sort of…” Eren hesitated as a smile came onto his face, “Can I show you?” Hanji seemed puzzled as to what Eren was talking about but sure enough she nodded. Eren lead her upstairs. His brows furrowed as he stepped on some dirt. _Strange… Why is there dirt?_ Eren couldn’t believe that there was dirt… Levi couldn’t stand dirt… He sighed and continued his quest to his room. He led Hanji to the wall of photos that he hung up. She immediately examined the photos.

 

            “You know, I’m so glad he was put into your care...” And then she suddenly squealed, “My Levi’s got a lover~!” Hanji smiled broadly as she looked at the photos and when she came across Levi’s modeling photos she nearly lost it. “OH MY- Did I just..! Holy mother of…” She turned to Eren, “Did you get Levi to model for you?”

 

            “Sure did.” Eren chuckled lightheartedly. “Yeah… I’m almost not even sure I know how I did it myself… He hates getting his picture taken.” Eren said as he gazed at the photos. His hand brushed across one where Levi was sleeping, his wings were wrapping around him while he slept. “Most of them were when he wasn’t paying attention… He’s so cute when he sleeps but I never told him that. I bet he’d punch me…” Eren sighed and looked over at Hanji again. “I just… Wish I knew what happened to Levi…”

 

            It was quiet for almost a minute before Hanji spoke. She must have been thinking very hard. “Could you tell me what happened?”

 

            Eren crossed his arms across his chest. “Well we were at the party and he seemed a little stressed so I gave him a glass of alcohol…” He looked at Hanji who motioned for Eren to continue. “Um… After that I met up with Armin and then my boss came over. I noticed that Levi seemed to be very stressed out. He was even shaking… It scares me when he does that… So I told him to get me a drink and that I’d find him. He left and when I was done talking to my boss and Armin I went to find him. He was just finishing a conversation with Jean. I guess they are friends now… And he was so much calmer. And when I brought him into a different room, the studio, I asked him what was wrong. I could tell that he was lying to me… He said that he was nervous that he was around so many people…”

 

            “What do you think he really was stressing about? Did he give you any hints?”

 

            Eren shrugged, “This wasn’t the first time that he has stressed out… One time he and Jean had a fight and somehow Jean ended on top of him… Levi suddenly flipped his shit and basically threw Jean across the room… Later he explained to me that he was raped in his cage before… Did you know about that?”

 

            Hanji frantically shook her head, “HE WAS WHAT!?!?” She frowned upon learning this new information. “My poor Levi… was… _raped…_ ” Hanji looked like she could fall apart yet at the same time murder someone. It was actually very scary. “Did he tell you anything else?”

 

            “He told me that someone came upstairs and tried to get in his room…” Eren paused looking up at the photos again. “I found him in my room… Staring right up at _these_ pictures.” Eren pointed to the pictures with Levi’s wings out. “He wondered if whoever went upstairs saw these pictures…”

 

            “Did you find out who it was?”

 

            “No… Levi just looked very uncomfortable at the moment so I… changed the subject.” Eren blushed and cleared his throat. “And ah… anyway…” Eren brushed off his feet. “I don’t even know how I got dirt on my feet… Levi keeps this house so clean that even the sparkles shine enough to have their own mini sparkles.”

 

            Hanji giggled and then paused in thought. “Wait. Dirt? You said that Levi likes to keep the house clean right?”

 

            “Yes.”

 

            “Then why would Levi leave that? Levi would have cleaned it up.”

 

            _Yeah that makes sense but…_ “Then who left the dirt?”

 

            Hanji snorted, “Obviously someone with dirty shoes.”

 

            “Dirty shoes huh…” Eren paused as he thought about his day. He remembered someone else having dirty shoes… “Fuck…” Eren frowned. “I should have known…”

 

            “Oh did you figure something out?”

 

            “I should have known…” Eren repeated, this time his voice faltered. “The signs… Levi was always giving them… And I… I was blind… I didn’t see it… Not until now…” Eren covered his face with his hands. _Why hadn’t I noticed it earlier..? Levi needs help!_

 

            Hanji shook Eren. “What? Eren tell me! I want to know!”

 

            Eren raised his head out of his hands. He could feel the tears threatening to spill. “Levi was only uncomfortable around _him_ … Levi shook around _him_ … He didn’t want to be around _him_ … There was even _dirt_ on _his_ fucking _boots_ and _I_ let him get away!” Eren yelled. He was absolutely upset now. “He was right in front of me too… I bet he deleted the video feed too… That’s why I couldn’t find it…”

 

            “WHO!? Eren, who!?!?” Hanji shook Eren again, harder this time, almost violently.

 

            “Erwin.” Eren spat out with venom.

            


	19. Levi's Only Hope

Levi’s Only Hope

 

►

 

            _Cold_. That’s how Levi woke up. The floor was a bitter place to be. The floor was hard and dirty. He no longer had his coat to keep him warm. His feet were bare… As Levi’s eyes slowly opened he froze. He couldn’t see… _anything._ It was either very dark wherever he was or… Levi would rather not fathom the other option. He tried to move. _Damn…_ Levi felt sore. He suddenly stopped moving. _What was that?_ Levi breathed slowly as he moved his hands slowly. Levi could have sworn his heart stopped then and there. _Chains. Shackles._ Much to Levi’s horror he did in fact had shackles and chains… His stomach twisted itself into a big knot. _No… No… this can’t be…_ But no matter how hard Levi tried… _This must be a dream…_ The shackles were still there… _Where is… Where’s Eren?_ Levi could barely sit up. He was dizzy and his head hurt. He almost wanted to cry, _almost_ , when his hand bumped into a cold metal bar.

 

            Levi was in a cage. _Again._ It was like a nightmare… That made Levi want to scream.

 

            _Again._

 

            The feeling was that of nothing. _Numbness._ Just knowing that he was in a cage again made him want to vomit. He had so many questions running through his head. He was devastated to be in a cage-

 

            _Again._

 

            There was a sudden alarm that went off which caused lights to flash. Thankfully Levi wasn’t blind but the sudden brightness from the lights made Levi wonder how he wasn’t blind. The alarm beeped two times in total but it was enough to make Levi’s nerves go haywire. He pulled his legs closer to him. The feeling felt _way too familiar._ And then he heard it. The _footsteps_. He felt his heart race. It was just like those times before. Where… Levi hid his face in his hands… _No._ Levi didn’t want _that_ to happen anymore. Levi completely froze when he heard the footsteps stop near the bars of the cage.

 

            “I see you’re finally awake.” Was all Erwin needed to say to make Levi flinch slightly. He stayed still. His heart raced for what seemed like no reason at all. There was a sigh that came from Erwin. It sounded slightly impatient. “Levi…” He called out and Levi didn’t move. “Levi.” Erwin snapped. “Don’t make me call your name again because I _will_ come in there.” Immediately Levi’s head shot up. He could sense the hidden threat in Erwin’s sentence. He still didn’t move from his spot as he looked at the man who imprisoned him here. “There that wasn’t so bad, now was it?” Erwin’s face had turned from that of disgust to that of a smug grin in a matter of seconds. “Answer me.” Erwin hissed through the bars.

 

            “No.” Levi muttered.

 

            “No, what?” Erwin grabbed the bars of the cage. The light behind him created a silhouette over his face. His eyes gleamed with intent…

 

            “What do you want from me?” Levi’s glared. Just because he may be nervous… he may be scared, it didn’t mean he’d show it. He’d be brave… Like the countless times before. He was honestly tired of dealing with this shit… _Why did this have to happen..? Just when I was about to learn something new… Just when I was getting my new life together…_ Levi found himself irritated and angry. “Just cut the chase. No crap. Why did you kidnap me?”

 

            Erwin scoffed. “I can’t kidnap something that is rightfully mine…” He paused as he pulled out a clip of several keys. “Look here… These keys belong to your shackles, the cage door and the basement door. I’ll make this simple. Behave and I’ll let you out of your cage. I may even let you out of the basement. All I want from you is your obedience, behave, do what you are told, loyalty and that’s it for now. Oh… and escaping will only result in being put back in your cage. You start from square one. So… If you want to make this easy on you, I suggest you start now by showing me your wings…”

 

            There was something unnerving about the request. Levi was uncomfortable with the idea of Erwin seeing his wings. But… He could have a chance… “Why..? Why do you want to see them? What if I don’t want to show them to you..? I mean… You can’t force me.”

 

            The face Erwin made in response to what Levi had said sent shivers down his spine. He _didn’t_ like the feeling that came with it… “On the contrary Levi…” He said as he pulled out his keys and unlocked the cage. Levi knew he should have moved away but he didn’t. He sat there watching… _Frozen_ in his place. There was a sudden yank on his chains and Levi was forced to his feet. He let out a gasp as he felt pain on his wrists. Then as he was slammed into the stone wall he felt his arms raised above his head, held up by the chains. His feet could barely touch the ground. Just his toes. And then he felt…

 

            “Wh-what are you doing!?” Levi said in shock. He felt Erwin’s hand trailing up his back, under his shirt, right where his scars were… When Eren did it, it was a comforting jester… But when Erwin did it, Levi felt violated.

 

            “I’m sure you’ll remember that…” Erwin said as his hand brushed over Levi’s scars. “There is a certain bundle of nerves in your back… and when you push-”

 

            “No.” Levi’s mind raced. He had finally knew why this was so familiar. This happened once before… And only one person would know about the nerves in his back… His… _rapist._ That if they’re pressed just right, it will cause… “Don’t.” Upon this new realization Levi began to frantically move his body. He desperately wanted to get out of this, out of Erwin’s grip, out of these shackles that bound him here.

 

            “I told you that you could have taken the easy way out. You could have just listened… You should have just showed me your wings like I told you to and-”

 

            “ _Please._ ” Levi squeezed his eyes shut. This was it, his last resort… _Begging._ He felt so ashamed. But he didn’t want that _pain_. He could feel Erwin’s hand hovering right over the spot. Levi was sure that Erwin knew. “Please _don’t_.”

 

            There was a long sigh that came from Erwin. “This is a lesson which you must learn, Levi. I told you to listen. So I’m not the bad guy here. It was you, just remember that.” He said as he pressed his fingers _hard_ onto the small part of Levi’s back, where the scars were, over the bundle of very _sensitive_ nerves. The pain was immediate. Levi threw his head back letting out a cry in discomfort as his wings, almost literally, came pouring out of his body. At the same time he heard his shirt being torn from his wings expanding and unfurling, he felt like his back was torn open and split into two. It was a _terrible_ pain. Feathers fell to the floor from the violent outburst. His wings were numb and twitched as they sagged to the ground in a convulsing manner. Levi couldn’t move them. He suddenly felt something cold on his cheek. He realized that he was on the ground trembling. It was weird how _familiar_ this pain was. It was only the second time it had happened. It still hurt like a bitch. “Tell me when you feel like listening…”

 

            The cage door was slammed shut. It made a loud echo throughout the basement, but the sound barely registered in Levis mind. He laid on the ground limply, staring at the wall. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew that Erwin had left the basement. Erwin had left the lights on this time… and Levi was thankful for that because now he could look and make sure his wings were not deformed or bent awkwardly. Forcing them out like that made it so that it was not only painful, but it made them numb for quite a while. Levi knew he needed to stretch them and flex them otherwise his wings would be very sore and stiff once he got his feeling back in them.

 

            The coldness of the ground caused Levi to shudder. The numbness was already starting to go away. Slowly, he sat up. His back ached as he did so. Levi grunted as he carefully moved his wings gently around him. He wrapped them around his body and shivered slightly. He shifted so he wasn’t facing the wall. This was his chance to look around and that’s what he did. The basement was pretty plain. There was a door on the other end of the basement. Levi was curious as to what was behind the door. Something new that he didn’t catch before was the fact that right outside his cage was carpet. There was no carpet where his cage was… Had there been, he’d be a lot warmer. And then he noticed in the corner of the cage was… _An actual bed?_ Levi looked at it wide eyed and pinched himself. _So I’m not hallucinating? It’s really there._ Levi got up on unsteady feet and approached the bed slowly as if it were almost foreign.

 

            The bed was… actually comfortable. There was even a pillow and blankets. This was so pleasant despite the situation. Levi tested the bed as he laid back on it. It smelled _clean_. The fact that it was clean surprised Levi. A mental thought passed that he was incredibly filthy… But he couldn’t do anything because of the situation he was in. He huddled himself into the blanket that was provided. It was _soft_ too. Levi couldn’t help but to close his eyes for a moment…

 

▐►►

 

            Sleep was one thing that many people took for granted, given that Levi never expected to fall asleep. He was startled awake by the sound of the alarms going off. He knew Erwin was coming back downstairs. He sighed, not moving from his comfortable spot on the bed. He watched as Erwin walked down the stairs with a plate in his hand. _Food?_ Erwin made his way to the bars of the cage. They made eye contact for a brief moment that made Levi’s stomach twist and churn uneasily. “Taking a nap, are you?” He hummed as he unlocked the cage door. It irritated Levi that Erwin felt no threat from Levi. The fact that Erwin walked into the cage unguarded and carefree… Made Levi want to punch that smug grin off of his face… But Levi resisted the urge. Violence wouldn’t get him anywhere right now. He needed to somehow get those keys from Erwin. _But how?_ Levi knew that to get any progress he’d need to be friendly with his kidnapper… Or at least try to. “I figured you’d like something to eat since it’s about dinner time.” He held out the plate which consisted of steak, mashed potatoes, and some corn… _Fuck. It smells good…_ “Go ahead Levi, I assure you that I did not poison it.”

 

            _Yeah…I bet. Drugged me to get me here.  You asshole._ Levi sat up slowly, cautiously. He reached out for the plate and hesitated as he grabbed the plate from Erwin. There was a fork and a knife set on the plate which Levi promptly took. With the plate settled on his lap he started with the steak first. As he cut the steak, he couldn’t help but to imagine how it would be to slit Erwin’s throat with it… What was holding him back? Why didn’t he just do it? _Rapist._ When Levi bit into the steak he glanced over at Erwin who was staring right back like a hawk. Levi’s eyes darted back to his food. Why did he feel so _nervous?_ Levi mentally tried to calm himself. He needed something to distract him… “I want to clean.” Levi stated out loud.

 

            “Clean?” Erwin repeated questioningly.

 

            Levi nodded as he continued to eat. “I like my space spic and span… And…” Levi hated himself for doing this… But for now, it was the easiest route without violence. His back still ached and he was in no mood to deal with it right now. “If I’m going to stay here, then I’d like to clean it…” He paused as this brought up a good question, “Where do I go to the bathroom? And what about bathing? I feel filthy.” Levi didn’t feel comfortable talking about it but like hell would he sit here _filthy_ and holding his bladder if he had to piss or something. And Levi found himself being a little cocky about the request. Though he felt that it was his right to be cocky, after all he was the one who was kidnapped. “I will _not_ shit in a bucket. Bathroom only. I don’t even care if you hover outside the fucking door…”

 

            There was a humorous chuckle that came from Erwin, as if everything Levi had said was funny. “And what would you do if I gave you a bucket anyway?”

 

            “I’d piss on your precious carpet…” Levi said before he could think about it. He glared over at Erwin. “Tch. Wait… No. On second thought I take that back. That’s fucking disgusting and it would stink. It would make the carpet dirtier than it already is.” Levi finished up his plate. Since he’d be staying here, not for too long, he wanted to make sure that certain things were clear. He stared down at his plate and at his fork… and the knife. The thought of stabbing Erwin came back to him. Levi sighed, something told him that it wouldn’t be a good idea… He just couldn’t shake the feeling. All he knew was that it made him feel nauseous. He pushed his plate, sliding it across the bed, to Erwin. He didn’t want to touch Erwin if he didn’t have to. Levi felt _disgusting_ when Erwin was touching his back earlier so he was trying to avoid contact if he could.

 

            Levi’s actions seemed to go unnoticed as he collected the plate. Erwin stated that he would be back as he left the cage. It was odd when Erwin just left the cage door wide open… But Levi wasn’t taking the bait. He watched as Erwin headed upstairs and he couldn’t help but to notice the gun Erwin had holstered to the side of his pants. So his instincts were right. And even besides, Levi’s instincts were telling him to wait… For what, he didn’t know. An opportunity to escape? Maybe… But Levi usually _always_ went with his instinct. It had never been wrong before. So he sat there waiting for Erwin to return like he said he would. He glanced at the cage door that was _purposely_ left open. Levi looked down at his shackles and how the chains connected. _Ah…_ So Levi was right. Even though the cage door is open, his shackles were still attached to the ground. He wouldn’t have gotten out of the cage if he tried… Erwin was taunting him. Taunting Levi’s _freedom_. At least Levi didn’t have to wait long before Erwin came back. He was carrying a… _towel_? Levi watched as Erwin casually walked right into the cage, pulled out his keys and started to unlock the shackles that were attached to the ground. “You’re being quite patient. What are you thinking, Levi?”

 

            _How much I want to get the fuck out of here and kill you._ Levi thought mentally. He shifted slightly so that his feet were on the ground. “Why are you… Unshackling me?” Knowing Erwin, he probably was up to no good.

 

            “You said you felt filthy, so I was going to acknowledge your request for bathing. All those things you said reminded me of how much of a clean freak you are…” He said while holding a smug smile on his face. Levi wanted to kick that smile or punch it… “Are you going to watch me all day or did you want to clean yourself?” Levi snapped out of it. He hadn’t realized he was staring. _Tch._ Levi slowly stood up. Levi frowned as Erwin took hold of the chains near his hands, pulling on them hard which caused Levi to grimace. He had to keep up with Erwin as they walked out of the cage. He was being led like a fucking animal… On a _leash_. Interestingly enough, they didn’t have to walk far, for the apparent bathroom he was going to use led to the door that he saw from across the room. He watched as Erwin opened the door and sure enough there was the bathroom inside. Toilet – check. Sink – check. And… A bathtub with a shower head – check. It was a basic bathroom. Just white and not decorated. Very simple. “Here.” Erwin turned to give Levi the towel he carried. He also gave Levi one key. “This key unlocks everything… Use it wisely.” Then Erwin turned to leave…

 

            _Oh joy…_ Levi was going to get his own privacy. He immediately went inside the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him. To be clean was a gift. Levi started to unshackle himself. He took off his hand cuffs first and then the ones around his ankles. Levi hesitated when he looked down at his shirt. There was something unsettling about taking off his clothes… It was his instincts again… A gut feeling. Levi _knew_ that Erwin was being suspiciously nice. Levi tucked in his wings and after just standing there silently arguing with himself, he finally took off his clothes. Levi started the shower and stepped in. He drew the curtain for the only reason of that it was instinct to do so.

 

            It was relaxing to be in a hot shower. It felt so good to be clean. This reminded Levi of the first time he had taken a hot shower at Eren’s… He wondered if Eren hadn’t have won the auction… Would this be one of the places he be? Would he be doing this had he been won by Erwin? Wait. Did Erwin even participate in the auction? Levi could only assume that he did. Erwin seemed to be possessive over Levi… In a way that Levi didn’t like. He’d rather have Eren’s... Though Levi was sure that Eren was already possessive over him. Unlike Eren, Erwin didn’t know the _normal_ way of being possessive. What was Erwin trying to gain from this? His love? Well he couldn’t have it. Levi belonged to Eren. Levi was in love with Eren. He wondered what made Erwin commit this crime. _Why did Erwin kidnap me?_ These thoughts plagued Levi’s mind as he took a shower. When he was about to get out, he paused, gazing to where he had left his dirty clothes… But they were no longer there… Just the towel. _But how…? The door was locked…_

 

            Levi knew it. _Damn it. My instincts were right…_ Levi looked around and saw that there were no other clothes to wear. He dried his hair and then wrapped the towel around his waist. Levi then opened the door slightly, peering out. His eyes were met with blue eyes and Levi froze. His wings came out and wrapped around his body. Levi didn’t like where this was going… “Where are my clothes?” When he didn’t get a response Levi slammed the door shut. _Oh hell no. This is NOT happening._ “If you think I’m going to walk out of here with no clothes on then you are _dead_ wrong.” Levi said. He knew that Erwin could hear him.

 

            It was quiet on the other side of the door. _Maybe he went to get me some clothes?_ Levi thought too soon. He felt himself lose balance as the door was abruptly kicked open. He fell backwards onto the ground, luckily his towel stayed on while his wings sprawled open in a futile attempt to save himself from falling. He landed on his butt with a thud. Levi barely had any time to realize where he was before Erwin was standing near him, towering over him. “And to think, I accepted your requests nicely… You’re just making this more difficult, Levi.” Erwin said as he reached for the shackles. “All I wanted you to do is model for me…”

 

            “I _don’t_ do nudes.” Levi stated. “As I said, I will _not_ walk around naked and I will _not_ pose nude. No, fuck that. I said the same thing to Eren. He would never-” _Smack!_ Levi found himself cut off. It happened so fast that it took Levi a moment to realize what had just happened… Erwin had just… _smacked_ him… _hard_.

 

            Erwin crouched down as he cupped Levi’s chin with one hand, gripping tight enough to leave marks. He also did it so that Levi couldn’t look away. He wanted to make sure Levi understood… “I don’t want to hear you say his name again. Not while you are under _my_ roof. Do you understand?” Levi didn’t reply. His eyes were the only sign of response. Erwin frowned and proceeded to smack Levi again. His cheek was already imprinted with a red hand mark… Now he had another mark on the same cheek. “I said, do you _understand?_ ”

 

            “Yes.” It was a simple answer but that was all Levi needed to say for Erwin to release him and take a step back. Then Erwin took off his shirt and threw it right at Levi. Hesitating to move, Levi looked from the shirt to Erwin. His wings folded around Levi, his defense… After all this time… He had been with Eren… He had let his guard down. He let his walls down for Eren… And now… All those good times had made Levi blind… Had he not let Eren pass his walls… Had he stayed guarded this whole time… Maybe this wouldn’t hurt so much. It wasn’t even the physical pain that hurt… He felt like the man in front of him could burst from anything he said. That one step of the line, Levi could suffer great consequences… Erwin was _violent_. And Erwin would resort to violence if Levi crossed a line that he wasn’t supposed to… Levi felt like he was dangerously walking, guessing which step was hiding the landmines. If he took the wrong step… Levi knew that this wouldn’t end well… “Why did you..? Give me this?” Levi clutched the shirt in his hand. He looked at it as if were diseased written.

 

            “Be lucky I gave you that to wear…” Erwin grabbed Levi’s chains and the key. “Get it on quick. You better be out there in less than a minute…” With that, Erwin left the bathroom, leaving Levi to get on his shirt.

 

            _This is wrong… This is so fucked up… Disgusting… But it’s the only thing I have…_ Levi looked at the shirt… Stared at it hatefully. He felt revolted to the idea of putting on someone else’s clothing on when it wasn’t _clean_ and for the simple fact that it was _Erwin’s_. The thought alone made Levi cringe but never the less, Levi forced himself to put on the shirt. When he finished buttoning it he looked down. The shirt was extremely big on him and, this was a good thing, it was long enough to go down mid-thigh. Levi felt all of his pride leave him as he walked out of the bathroom with his head down. Levi didn’t want to model for Erwin… That was something special for Eren’s eyes only… But Levi was sure Erwin would get what he wanted… And Levi wanted to escape in one piece…

 

            Erwin had apparently brought some lights from upstairs, downstairs as well as a couple of cameras. He had Levi sitting on his knees, with his wings out. Levi kept his head angled down as he held onto the button up shirt with a death grip, keeping in place and making sure that he was covered. He used his other hand to balance himself by placing it slightly in front of him, between his legs. “Alright, see? Now we’re getting somewhere… Expand your wings.” Erwin commanded and Levi slowly, but surely expanded his wings up and out as far as they would go. Erwin nodded in approval as he took a picture. _Click!_ And then several more after that.

 

            It was after the pictures were done that Erwin shackled Levi again. He grabbed one of his lights and made his way up the stairs. He told Levi to be in his cage by the time he gets back or else Levi would be granted a punishment… And Levi… Well he really didn’t want to know what that would be. But what Levi did do was steel one of Erwin’s cameras that he brought downstairs. Levi frantically went inside of his cage, closing the door behind him and jumped right onto the bed. He hid the camera under his pillow. It was weird. He never thought that he’d actually want to be in a cage… However he actually felt safer in the cage than if he was out of it. He didn’t want to take any chances.

 

            After watching Erwin come back down to receive the rest of his things, Levi was relieved to see that Erwin didn’t seem to notice one of his cameras missing. _Good. Shitwin doesn’t need to know…_ And after Levi was sure Erwin was gone for the rest of the day, he pulled out the camera. He looked at all of the buttons and sighed, trying to remember what Eren had showed him. _Fuck. Which one… I think it’s that… Yes. I got it._ Levi successfully turned the camera on. He knew what he wanted to do, what he _needed_ to do… Levi pressed record as he turned to camera. He knew that he probably wasn’t properly framed and he also didn’t have the best lighting nevertheless Levi felt like the recording would be worth it. Levi tested the camera a couple times before actually recording himself.

 

            Levi stared at the camera for a moment, unsure of how to start… So he just the first thing that came to mind, “I’m Levi…” He paused, “And I don’t know if anyone will ever get this or see this but… I need help. Erwin has kidnapped and imprisoned me here.” Levi raised his hand to show that he was shackled, “I don’t know what exactly he plans to achieve… I just…” Levi frowned and rubbed his cheek slightly were Erwin had smacked him, “Erwin is very violent and he resorts to violence if he doesn’t get what he wants. I should have just stabbed him when I had a chance…” Then Levi adjusted the camera slightly so he could look at it straight on. “Eren…” Levi made an almost pleading voice. _Why do I feel like I’m going to… cry?_ “If you are out there… Searching for me… I hope you find me before…” Levi paused upon realizing what he nearly said. “I hope I get to see you again… and not be trapped here… And you too Hanji… If I ever see either of you again…” Levi bit his lip as his brows furrowed, “And no matter what happens to me… I love you, Eren.”

 

            _You are my only hope._


	20. Levi For Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys... I'm just going to warn you that there are MANY FEELS in this chapter.
> 
> I'm sorry in advance if this breaks you.
> 
> I actually got depressed writing this, that's why it took forever for an update... But thanks for being patient and please read.

Levi for Christmas

 

▐►►

 

            _Reluctant._ Levi was reluctant to move from his spot. He stared blankly, his eyes empty of any emotion. He was sure he was somewhere between depression and suicidal. What had it been...? A week? Two? Levi lost count after the third day. Time seemed to drag its heels, endless… forever… And there was no way to tell time in this forsaken prison.

 

            _Blood_ , it was mostly dry now, covered his wrists. His shackles had caused them. Levi was tired of them holding him back, holding in place, holding him down… Keeping him here, trapped, with no way out… He had thought about breaking his wrists so that he could take off his shackles… But he didn’t have the strength to do it… He wasn’t motivated like he had been the first couple of days staying here. He wasn’t as eager to escape… He felt weak. He couldn’t move much. He was always tired.

 

            _Fate_ , was a word that Levi had come in terms with. Everyday Shitwin made it his objective to remind Levi that… Eren wasn’t coming for him… That he was staying… That Levi belonged to him… And at first Levi would argue with Erwin… But after several beatings, Levi learned to keep his mouth shut. Another thing that Erwin made appoint to tell Levi was that he _always_ won. Win, was in his name… (Er-win). No matter how hard Levi fought, the result was constantly the same. Erwin had the upper hand. He always did. He would never let Levi win. He wouldn’t let him escape… Erwin wouldn’t let him out of his cage… It was to the point that Levi hardly got off of his bed other than to clean, bath, or model for Erwin.

 

            _Depression_. Levi found himself in a slump. He wasn’t really ambitious to escape anymore. He wasn’t motivate… _Eren won’t come for me…_ The thought had basically been beaten into Levi by now. The bruises on his face, his arms, torso… all of his bruises could vouch for him. But despite being unmotivated, Levi still filmed himself almost every night… He thought his efforts were for naught nevertheless… it was his only beacon of hope, even though he knew he would be able to escape. Levi frowned as he pulled his wings around his body. He was tired… Maybe that was because he hardly had time to sleep. Actually, it was more like he couldn’t sleep. Maybe it was because he was stressed, he didn’t know.

 

            _Cold._ Levi was shaking in his bed. The feathers on his wings were falling off… Levi briefly wondered if he was getting sick or something, but he didn’t really care… He’d rather die than live here any longer. He found himself getting thinner than he already was because he ate less. Levi had been slowly starving himself, hoping that maybe one day this torture would stop. There had been several times throughout staying captive here that Levi thought about… ending it all however Levi never had the chance to try.

 

            _Terrified._ Levi was utterly terrified of what Erwin might do. He knew that the bastard was up to no good. This was probably another reason why Levi couldn’t sleep. He was afraid Erwin would come for him while he was asleep and he would be even more defenseless. Levi was terrified that Erwin would beat him… That he would hurt him more… That Erwin would rape him like he did when Levi was trapped by the crazy scientists. He knew that Erwin would… It was just a matter of _when_. And when was coming a lot sooner than Levi wanted it to happen. It was in a week… no maybe a couple days perhaps?

 

            _Christmas_. That was the dreaded day. The holiday that was supposed to be festive and bring hope and happiness… Levi was wondering if he would have his happiness back… He wondered if Erwin would be merciful… That he wouldn’t make Levi bleed like the first time he raped him in the crazy scientists’ cages… Back when Levi was free, he had learned of this holiday called Christmas. Levi went out and had spent his money to get Eren a gift… Guess it was a waste of time considering Eren wasn’t ever coming… He also couldn’t give it to Eren anyway… And Levi probably wouldn’t live long enough to even get out of his cage.

 

            _Dirty. Filthy. Disgusted…_ Levi felt all of those thing right now… Ever since the first day he came here Erwin had forced Levi to wear the same shirt… _Every. Fucking. Day…_ Sure Erwin would ask if Levi would want it clean, of fucking course he did however… He didn’t know if Erwin would give him something to wear afterwards… He had made it clear that he wouldn’t walk around naked… But like that mattered to Erwin… Sometimes… Levi wondered… If he had just given up… If he would just accept Erwin’s demands… Would he be this broken? Would he be in this much pain? Would Erwin not have beaten him up those countless times..? And more importantly, would he be free right now?

 

            _Why hasn’t Eren saved me yet? Did you leave me? Do you not care for me? Did you care at all?_ Levi found himself doubting. He doubted himself. He doubted Eren. He doubted Hanji. He doubt if he would ever be free again…

 

            _Beep!_ The sound of the basement alarm went off. It was the sound that told Levi that Erwin would be coming down the stairs. It was the sound that Levi had unfortunately gotten used to. The noise was probably also engraves into his mind. He was so used to it that he didn’t even flinch anymore. Levi watched with tired eyes as Erwin descended the stairs. With him, he had a plate of what Levi assumed would be his meal. Levi didn’t really feel hungry. Food made him feel sick…

 

            “You need to eat, Levi, otherwise you’ll starve to death and I’m not going to let that happen…” Levi watched Erwin unlock the cage door. He made a sound of displeasure as he stood at the cage door. “Levi come here and grab your plate. You need to get up. Sitting in bed all day is not healthy.” _Neither is imprisoning me here yet you still do it anyway…_ Levi thought but didn’t dare say it. He knew that Erwin would probably slap him or something. He gazed over at Erwin and then the plate in his hand. As much as he hated to admit it, Levi wanted to die… Although he didn’t want to die here… “Levi…” Erwin said in a warning tone. Levi’s wings perked slightly as they gave a little flap. He knew he should get up now or suffer the consequences.

 

            As Levi got up, he immediately felt lightheaded. He wobbled slightly as he approached Erwin. His shackles felt almost like heavy weights as he dragged them. He knew that he was weaker than when he first came nonetheless he somehow still had some strength in him. Levi was still confused if he really should give up or not. But it was hopeless, so why was he still trying? Levi called it instinct. It had never been wrong. He could only hope that it wasn’t. However, he was beginning to think that his instincts were finally wrong. His depression was getting the better of him by now… If his instincts were wrong then Levi just assumed he would die. That was the only other way out. He made his way to Erwin, taking the glass plate into his hands. He flinched as Erwin suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist.

 

            “I want that plate to be empty by the time I get back… do I make myself clear?” Erwin’s eyes were sharp as they stared down into Levi’s. The command in Erwin’s voice was prominent. Punishment would happen if Levi didn’t complete this simple task. Levi nodded enough to let Erwin know that he understood. As soon as Levi made his way back to his bed he heard Erwin closing the cage door behind him. Levi sat on his bed as he watched Erwin disappear. He looked down at his plate and sighed. There was no silverware. _How the fuck am I supposed to eat this? Bastard._ Levi grimaced. He felt like he was legitimately an animal in a cage and Erwin was just keeping him here. And that wasn’t even the worst part…

 

            _Pills…_ Levi could see the residue of crushed pills. If it was medicine, Levi wasn’t sure but one thing he did know was that Erwin would beat him if he didn’t eat this. He really didn’t want to eat… He wasn’t hungry…. The fact that some pill, or pills, was crushed into his food didn’t make Levi feel any better. It made him feel even more like a sick animal… Like Erwin was trying to nurse him back to health…  It made Levi feel _disgusting_ and _sick_ to his stomach.

 

▐►►

 

            _Vomit._ Levi stared down the floor. He couldn’t help it if he tried. The food didn’t sit well _at all_. He was surprised that he was able to keep it down that long… Maybe, what, four hours? Levi wondered what the fuck Erwin was doing because the vomit that was on the floor was making him nauseous. He felt like he was going to vomit again. Luckily, it was all on the floor. Somehow Levi had managed to save his bed. He looked at the vomit in disgust and then at his plate… His _glass_ plate… Levi swallowed slowly. It was glass… and glass shatters… And Levi could use the glass… to end it all…

 

            Getting off his bed, Levi acted on impulse. He took the plate, staring at it momentarily and silently thanking the flat glass, before smashing it into the solid ground. There was a load cracking sound that echoed throughout the basement. The plate had broken into serval big pieces, the rest was all little shards. Levi was lucky enough to have a piece that was in the shape of an acute triangle… a _perfect_ dagger… Levi picked up the perfect piece of glass. It was decently sharp. Levi could actually feel the corner of his lips pull up.

 

            After a quick, careful clean of the broken glass, Levi moved the pile under his bed. He saved the dagger shard, placing it under his pillow. That dagger would either be the end or beginning… Despite being depressed, weak, suicidal… Levi couldn’t help but to hope… That he could at least use the glass on Erwin… Even if that meant Erwin would him afterwards. Levi wouldn’t mind dying if that meant he would have Erwin’s blood on his hands. All he had to do was lure Shitwin into his cage…

 

            The alarm suddenly sounded causing Levi to jump slightly. He climbed into the bed quickly. Levi hid the shard under his pillow right before Erwin came into view. Levi acted as if nothing had happened since Erwin left, who knows how long ago… Levi watched as Erwin made his way quickly to the cage, as if he was in a hurry. Levi watched Shitwin open up the cage door, he stood there for a moment in the doorway before entering the cage. Levi watched as Erwin’s eyes darted towards the floor where the vomit was… _Fuck…_ Erwin’s expression soured quicker than Levi could blink. Levi immediately scooted back onto the bed, bringing his knees up to his chest and his wings folding around his body. He stiffened as Erwin approached the bed.

 

            “Why is there _vomit_ on _my_ floor?”

 

            Levi didn’t know why, but he couldn’t stop himself from shaking slightly. He mentally cursed himself for being weak… “I… I threw up because I wasn’t feeling well…” That wasn’t a lie at least. Levi watched, as he peaked out from his wings, he saw Erwin raise his hand… And Levi knew Erwin was going to hit him. Levi covered his face with his hands and before he could stop himself he said, “I’m _sorry._ ” Levi flinched, waiting for Erwin to hit him. Except the hit never came… Levi peaked out again to see Shitwin’s eyebrows furrowed.

 

            “I believe you Levi.” Erwin said as he sat along the side of the bed. This was unsettling for Levi for two reasons… One, Erwin was getting closer… Which meant Levi could use his dagger… And secondly, Levi just got the chills from Shitwin… and that could mean nothing good… Levi’s instinct was always right… Erwin was not up to _any_ good, then again when was he ever? “Move your wings out of the way.” Erwin said without much command in his voice. It was a different tone. A tone that made Levi’s stomach twist. He felt like vomiting again. He reluctantly moved his wings so that they were folded behind him, like a pillow against the wall.

 

            What came next made Levi want to cut off Erwin’s hands. He saw the longing stare in Erwin’s eyes. The way Erwin moved his hand slowly, gently, up Levi’s bare leg bared the sign. Levi moved his leg away enough to stop Erwin’s hand from trailing up his thigh. _Sick._ Unconsciously, Levi pulled the shirt Erwin had given him down nervously. “What are you…doing?” Levi already knew what Erwin was trying to do… He didn’t even know why he asked.

 

            Erwin seemed to ignore Levi’s question as he looked Levi dead in the eye, “Where’s the plate I gave you, Levi..? You know, the _glass_ plate…”

 

            Levi bit his lip. He had to be careful when answering this question… It could mean the fail or success of his plan. “…It broke…”

 

            “And how did the plate break, Levi?”

 

            “When I vomited… I got out of bed… and it fell onto the floor.” Levi pulled his legs closer, he hoped that Erwin couldn’t tell that he was lying. He hoped that Erwin wouldn’t hit him.

 

            There was a hum that came from Erwin, “So where is the broken plate?”

 

            _Fuck…_ “It’s under the bed…” Levi mumbled and then he cleverly added, “I knew you’d be upset… and since I couldn’t properly clean it up, I put the shards under my bed. I didn’t want to cut my feet when I walked… So that’s what I did…” Levi swallowed slowly. If there was anything Levi learned from Erwin, it was that he hated when Levi sassed him and he hated when Levi would lie. Thus, Levi hoped what he said sounded honest and truthful… Although, part of it was true. What idiot wants to walk on glass? “You can even check if you want… It’s near the foot of the bed… Your feet are near it…”

 

            Sure enough, Erwin leaned forward slightly as he peered under the bed. He made a hum of acknowledgement. When his head turned back to Levi his expression was somewhat softer. “Besides vomiting, do you feel any better?”

 

            Hesitating, Levi eyed Erwin suspiciously although he did have to admit he did feel slightly better… He shrugged, “Yeah… I guess I do feel better…”

 

            “Good that means the medicine is working.” Erwin said as his hand brushed through his blond slick backed locks. Levi honestly felt awkward right now. Erwin was like a light switch sometimes. On, when he was violent and off, when he was casual. And maybe… Just _maybe…_ If Erwin wasn’t shit crazy and hadn’t kidnapped Levi, he wouldn’t be too bad to be around. Levi watched as something flash through Erwin’s eyes.

 

            Levi blinked.

 

            And blinked again.

 

            Once more.

 

            And Erwin was on top of Levi with his legs between Levi’s.

 

            Levi thought he was hallucinating.

 

            And Levi was scared.

 

            His heart raced.

 

            He felt like he couldn’t move.

 

            In fact he was frozen in place after Erwin pressed his lips to his. Levi could hear a faint tearing sound and when Levi blinked again, he realized that Erwin was cutting his shirt open.

 

            Everything happened all at once.

 

            Levi screamed.

 

            “Erwin! You motherfucker! Get off of me!” He pushed Erwin with all his might. So that dreaded day was coming a lot faster than Levi anticipated… It was here and now. This reminded his of all those awful times in his original cage. All those times Erwin had raped him before. Levi felt he blood boil. Yes he was scared but his adrenaline was coursing through his veins one million miles a minute. Erwin was using Levi’s shackles to prevent him from moving. All too soon Levi found his hands nearly over his head as Erwin pulled on the chains, forcing his hands up. Levi shook his body violently. This was _not_ happening. Not today. Not ever again.

 

            “Levi… If you don’t fucking hold still… I will introduce you to a whole new level of pain…” Erwin’s tone was deadly and threatening. Levi knew that he had two choices right now… He could either submit… Or he could fight back.

 

            “ _Pain_? Really Shitwin? You know what. Fuck you and your shitty eye brows. I fucking _hate_ you.” Levi spat with venom. “And you mean the pain you’ve already inflicted? You already took me away from _Eren_. The man I _love_. Tell me _Shitwin_ , what the fuck could possibly be worse than what I’ve already had to endure?”

 

            Now that Levi had stirred the pot, he could see Erwin boil over. Levi had crossed several lines all at once. If Levi lived for another second pass his beating, no, torture… He would be surprised. “Just remember…” Erwin hissed, “ _You_ asked for this.” And then, much to Levi’s horror, Erwin’s free hand moved past Levi’s arm and onto his white wing.

 

            It took Levi a second to realize what Erwin was going to do. He realized it too late. He couldn’t stop Erwin as-

 

            _CRACK!_

 

            Levi’s eyes widened in absolute shock.

 

            _Pain_. A horrible spike of pain. _Pain_ that shot through him like a bullet.

 

            His nerves went haywire all over.

 

            Levi was in utter agony as he let out a silent scream.

 

            Erwin had…

 

            _He broke my wing!_ Indeed. Erwin had pushed Levi’s wing backwards, hard enough to cause it snap. The wing twitch on its own accord as some of the bones protruded out of the skin. Blood dripped right into the feathers causing the once beautiful white wing to turn stained and bloody.

 

            Levi couldn’t stop the tears from falling if he tried. His whole body shook from the pain. It was _unbearable_. A kind of pain that made Levi want to _die_.

 

            And just like his wing, something inside Levi snapped as well. “I’ll _kill_ you, Shitwin.” Levi trembled as breathed, “ _I will fucking kill you._ ” With the new adrenaline coursing through him, Levi yanked one of his hands from Erwin’s grip causing him to release the chain of his shackle. Levi reached under his pillow. The shard was still there. He grabbed the shard, pulling it out and lurching at Erwin. The sorry bastard caught Levi by the wrist and Levi cursed, pushing harder than before.

 

            _Blood._ It dripped landing on Levi’s cheek. While he didn’t hit Erwin where he wanted, he still cut him fairly deep. Levi watched as Erwin pulled back, clutching his arm right over his right bicep. Levi used this opportunity to push Erwin off of him and the bed. Erwin stumbled slightly and for once, Levi was glad he didn’t clean because when Erwin tried to gain his balance, he slipped over Levi’s own vomit and fell. There was a loud clang sound as Erwin fell.

 

            Levi didn’t move for a moment. He was waiting for Erwin to get back up, but he didn’t. Levi got out of his bed slowly, holding his broken wing close so that it wouldn’t break more than it already was. He was slightly dizzy as he did so. He glanced over at Erwin again. It didn’t look like he was breathing…

 

            _Escape._ This was his change. It was now or never. Levi reached under his pillow, grabbing the camera he had been using. He bit his lip as he looked over at Erwin… He needed to get the keys from him… Levi slowly crouched down next to Erwin and pat him down. There was a glint in the corner of his eyes which caught his attention. Levi frowned as he realized that the keys were outside of the cage… Levi immediately lunged himself at the bars, reaching for the keys that were just out of his reach… He felt so weak. He couldn’t reach the keys…

 

            He was going to die here… With Erwin of all people.

 

            And then something clicked in Levi’s mind. _My wing…_ He turned his body, angling his back just so it would fit through the bars. He extended his black wing. _Yes…_ Levi was going to get it…

 

            _No…_ Just as soon as Levi was sure he’d be able to get the keys, the loop that held them together was caught on the fucking carpet… Levi needed something to hook in on… Something that could reach that far… Levi glanced around his cage. There wasn’t anything he could use…

 

            Except…

 

            Levi shook his head at the thought… But he’d have to do it. Levi looked at his broken wing. The bone that was protruding out of the skin would work well… Levi knew that this was going to be painful. He turned his body again, this time he stuck his broken wing out. Levi closed his eyes and bit his lip as he gripped the bars. _It hurts…_ He opened his eyes. He tried to guide his wing where he wanted it to go. Levi’s wing shook almost violently as it extended. He felt like his wing was going to fall off. The blood from his wing tainted the carpet as he brushed against it. He whimpered, whipping away a tear that he didn’t know had fallen, as his wing touched the cold metal.  Levi steadied his wing the best he could. He was thankful that he was able to get the loop off on the first try. Levi hurriedly grabbed the keys.

 

            Now it was the moment of truth. Levi stuck what he thought would be the right key into the keyhole and… His shackle clicked and opened. Levi rubbed his now free wrist. His scabs were sensitive. He did the same with the rest of his shackles.

 

            Levi was free. He was _free!_ With nothing to restrain him, Levi opened the cage door. He held his wing and his camera close to his body. He made his way to the stairs and ascended them quickly as he could. Once he reached the top of the stairs he opened the door and the alarm went off like usual. The alarm was louder. It made his ears ring. He opened the door and found himself in a hallway. There were two ways to go… Left or right? Levi settled for going right.

 

            Levi came across two doors. Again one was to the left and one was to the right. He peered in the room to the left, it was a dining room and then he peered to the right, it was a library. Levi huffed in irritation as he continued down the hall. He then came to an open area. There was a kitchen… and to the far right was a door. Levi looked at the door and past it. The glass allowed him to peer out to see that it was snowing outside.

 

            There was no way he could walk out there with bare feet… Although it was very convenient to see that there were boots right next to the door, they were Erwin’s. His feet were gigantic. _They’ll have to do…_ Levi wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. He shoved his feet into the boots and tied them as quickly as he could. Levi hesitated as he grabbed the handle of the sliding door. He knew that it was going to be bitterly cold out there… Where would he go? He had no idea where he was… He just knew that anywhere would be better than this place.

 

            “And where do you think you’re going?” Levi froze and swallowed slowly. He blinked several times before turning his head. “Speak.” Erwin commanded as he pointed his gun straight at Levi’s forehead.

 

            “I’m getting out of this prison… Even if that means I die trying.”

 

            There was a nasty smirk that made its way to Erwin’s face, he cocked his gun as he placed a finger on the trigger. “Then you better start running… I’ll even give you a five second head start… You better hope I miss, Levi.” He paused, “Five… Four…”

 

            Levi gasped as he pulled the sliding door open forcibly. He wrapped his wings around his body as the cold nipped at his skin.

 

            “Three… Two…”

 

            The snow was doing its job at slowing Levi down. He grunted in pain as he suddenly lost his balance. He fell into the snow. _I don’t want to die… I don’t want to die… Not when I’m this close to freedom…_ Levi picked himself up again just as he heard Erwin voice carry through the snowy wind…

 

            “One.” _BANG!_ A bullet buzzed right passed his white wing.

 

            Levi ran as fast as he could. He was almost in the woods. He could hide in the trees… If only he could just reach them…

 

            _BANG!_ A bullet buzzed right past his ear.

 

            _I don’t want to die…_

 

            _BANG!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm just going to ask... xD
> 
> If Erwin was to die, would you be happy? If so, how would you like him to die?
> 
> Call me sadistic but I want to know. Go ahead with vivid details of how you want it to happen~
> 
> And I'm not saying he will or won't, but if he does, I wanted to hear your thoughts :)
> 
> Please comment.


	21. Levi's Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.

Levi’s Alone

 

►

 

            _Numb._ Levi couldn’t feel anything. He didn’t even know how he was still alive. The only reason he could tell that he was alive right now was because of how much pain he was in and also because of how the cold bit him, numbing him to the bone. His wings were the only protection he had against the bitter cold alongside the snow boots that were several sizes too big. He found himself at the border of the woods. Erwin had stopped shooting for the moment, probably because Erwin thought he had shot Levi dead. Levi could just see Erwin’s figure in the frame of the door… All he had to do was make a run for it. And then Levi stood up quickly on shaky legs making a mad dash for the woods. It was hard to run with the boots he had on, but they were the only thing that was keeping Levi from losing his feet. And… There was a loud bang and Levi was sure Erwin had fired at him…

 

            Luckily missing again.

 

            Levi didn’t stop though. He didn’t stop when he entered the forest. He didn’t stop when he heard more gun fire. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to stop if he could help it. But with every step Levi took, it seemed to be getting harder and harder… Moving was becoming difficult… His vision was blurry… His wing was still bleeding… He felt lightheaded and his breathing was heavy. He couldn’t help it when he started to sway as he slowed down to a walk. By now the snow seemed to be pouring onto him. Blizzard-like conditions was what it felt like, although Levi had never been in a blizzard before… He could only assume that this was what it was.

 

            After what seemed like forever in the snow, Levi couldn't take it anymore. He was tired… no, flat out exhausted. The pain in his wing was unbearable. It hurt him like fire, a white pain burning his whole body. His head hurt. His legs hurt. His lungs hurt… He wanted it to end. He wanted the pain to go away.

 

            Levi fell.

 

            Now that he was laying on his side, Levi shivered violently from the intensity of the cold snow. His white wing slumped and was twitching slightly in the snow while the other one was wrapped around his body. Levi was actually thankful for the snow… It was making his pain numb… He was starting to feel nothing…

 

            So with shaky hands Levi pulled out the camera he had with him, luckily it hadn’t broken… Levi felt his lip quiver. This would be the last time he could ever record.

 

            Levi turned the camera on and pressed record. “Eren…” That was his opening for all of his recordings except for the first one, followed by the same phrase, “I don’t know if you’ll find this…” And then Levi would talk as if Eren was there, as if the camera was Eren. “As you can s-see…” His voice wavered, “I finally got out… I’m free… but…” Levi bit his lip trying to hold back tears that threatened to fall. Levi was trying to keep himself composed but he knew that it wasn’t going to last long. He could already feel himself slipping… “Er-Erwin he… He…” His voice cracked and he almost dropped the camera. His fingers numb, “He tried to r-rape me… And… He b-broke my wing… It’s bleeding Eren… It hurts, Eren. It _hurts_.” Levi could no longer see the camera, he had to wipe his tears from his eyes. He took in a shuddered breath, his breathing was uneven and becoming shallow. Levi snorted, it was a distorted laugh, “Looks like this is the end… Isn’t it? At l-least I won’t die being imprisoned b-by S-Shitwin…” Then the camera blinked, signaling that it was about to die… Levi felt like he could relate to the camera. Levi ended his video with the same phrase, except for the first one, “And I don’t know if you’re looking for m-me anymore or even c-care… but…” Levi made eye contact with the camera, as if he really was talking to Eren, “I still love you, Eren.” That’s when the camera blinked, made a beeping sound, and died.

 

            Emptiness was what Levi felt now. It was dark out, or maybe that was his vision? However, he could see the white of the snow… He felt so weak…  Levi wanted it all to end already. He was tired of everything… of life… But did that mean he wanted to die? No. Levi honestly didn’t want to die. He didn’t feel ready. He wanted to see Eren before he died… But that didn’t look like it was going to happen… Levi could only hope Eren would find the camera… Levi pulled the camera close to his body, also in an attempt to get warm. The weather was making this difficult for Levi…

 

            And he found it suddenly harder to breathe.

 

            It was bitterly cold. Levi was sure that if he didn’t die from the blood loss, he was going to die from… What was it called again? Oh yes, _hypothermia._ He felt like his fingers would soon break off from frostbite. Even if Levi wanted to get up, which he did, he just couldn’t find the willpower. So he laid there, looking into the darkness of the woods. Everything was becoming less defined, hazy. This world was indeed a cruel place. What did Levi do to deserve this? What did he do to piss off the world? Why was he the one suffering? Why..?

 

            Levi closed his eyes, letting more tears fall.

 

            Well at least his life wasn’t utter complete shit. At least he didn’t die in his cage like he had believed he would have. At least he had a chance to be free. To meet Eren. To work. To fly… Levi remembered what Eren had said.

 

            “ _You can’t fly if you never try._ ”

 

            Levi hummed. _You told me so long ago…_ Levi thought. And despite how grim his situation was, Levi felt a small smile make its way to his lips. _Eren, you gave me so much hope… Even when everything was hopeless…_

 

            Even though Levi was alone right now, he felt somewhat content. Yes, he wished that Eren was here but not everything works out the way he wanted to. Levi had come into terms with that. At least, if his body was found they would find the camera. Well, that is if Erwin didn’t find it first.

 

            Now that Levi could actually reflect for a moment, he had just realized that he’d never actually seen snow before. He had never felt its coldness until now… He learned that snow was a beautiful thing… He thought about the pretty flakes, seemingly floating down from the skies above, light and airy. He didn’t have the time to appreciate the flakes that melted upon contact…

 

            Levi decided that he liked the snow.

 

            _Calm._ Levi was calm even though he was dying. Death was inescapable. It happened to everyone. He let his breathing slow. It wasn’t snowing as hard now. Everything was peacefully quiet. He relaxed into the snow below him. His wings were wrapped closely around him. He couldn’t feel the pain in his white wing anymore. He couldn’t feel any pain right now or anything else really but it didn’t matter.

 

            Levi let the darkness take him…

 

■

 

            _Echoes_. The sounds of the TV sent echoes through the room. Eren was barely listening anymore.

 

            _“…and for other news today…”_

 

            _Horrified._ It has been too long… Eren was _desperate_ for answers that would seemingly never come.

 

            _“Drivers should be weary…”_

 

            _I promise to never leave him alone again_ … Eren thought.

 

            _“With blizzard-like conditions…”_

 

            “Eren… stop pacing.”

 

            _“…whiteout that results in little to no sight.”_

 

            _I have to find him…_ Eren thought.

_“…cautious and be safe.”_

 

            “Eren!”

 

            _What if he’s–_ Eren suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, he stopped with his head hanging low. He quickly pulled the hand off of him as if was on fire. He turned in haste, “I won’t stop until we find him!” He then grabbed the remote, turning off the TV that was currently annoying him.

 

            “Well you’ll have to wait until she gets here! Eren, there is no use…” Hanji said, trying to calm down Eren. “We already told everyone that we can trust to keep an eye out for Levi… My poor little angel is out there alone with caterpillar brows… And he’s probably all creepy crawly with him…”

 

            “Like hell.” Eren scowled, “I swear he’ll pay! When I get my hands on Shitwin, I’ll beat the fuck out of him. I will never forgive him for what he did…”

 

            This was how it was. Days had seemed to melt into weeks for Eren, the lines between them blurred. Days would go by so slow to the point that Eren thought he would go insane. It was like time had dug its heels into the Earth in an attempt to stop it completely.

 

            The information they had was not sufficient enough to find Levi. What they did know was that Mike never intended for Levi to get taken… From what he was told, Erwin had a ‘surprise’ for Eren and wanted Mike to stall him as long as he could. Mike was very upset to learn what ‘surprise’ actually was. Another thing they learned was that Erwin owned several homes. That’s why it was taking them so long… Once they found somewhere Erwin had lived, they would immediately check it, only to discover that the home would be completely empty. They would check the homes carefully anyway, just in case, for any signs of where Erwin could have taken Levi.

 

            It seemed Erwin was prepared for this day… He didn’t even have to be there for them to have to go through several loops and jump over several hurdles.

 

            Ever since that horrible day, Eren hadn’t been able to sleep much if at all, he was constantly stress, always on edge, his eating habits were irregular and almost nonexistent… Levi was on his mind. He was worried about his friend, his lover, _his_ angel… Levi. Nothing in the house had been rearranged since Levi was taken. Eren didn’t have the heart to clean any of Levi’s clothes… and as creepy as it sounded, Eren sometimes would smell said clothes, relishing in Levi’s scent, the scent that he so dearly missed.

 

            Levi…

 

            Levi.

 

            _Levi!_

 

            Eren wanted to cry… but now wasn’t the time to cry… He needed to find Levi first, hopefully alive and well. His heart skipped a beat when he heard a knock at the door. _She’s here!_ Eren literally ran to the front door, yanking on the handle and forcing the door open. “Mikasa!”

 

            “I came here as soon as I could… I didn’t know Levi was alive!” Eren could hear how worried she was through her voice. “How come you didn’t call me sooner?” She pulled Eren into a tight hug.

 

            “Well it was supposed to be a surprise… I was going to have you over for Christmas… So we could celebrate his birthday together… I’m sure he would have been happy to see you. Mikasa, he doesn’t know that you’re alive either.” Eren smiled softly, it almost felt foreign on his face. “So it would have been a great surprise… I’m so glad you’re here.”

 

            “Alright, I love that we’re having a family reunion but can we close the door? You guys are letting the cold in…” Hanji whined. After closing the door, the trio went into the living room, settling down on the cozy furniture. “So…” Hanji clasped her hands, looking over at Mikasa from the chair she was sitting in, “I didn’t get to see much over you… Oh how rude of me, I didn’t introduce myself! I’m Hanji!” She sat up straight, extending her hand to shake, “I took care of Levi when he was caged.”

 

            Mikasa extended her hand to shake Hanji’s, “Yeah, Eren told me that you’d be here. He told me that you took good care of him, and for that I am thankful… At least I know there are good people in this cruel world…” She frowned, “It’s really too bad Levi got taken… but I am here to help in any way I can… After all, without him I wouldn’t be here right now, free…”

 

            After their greeting, Hanji turned towards Eren, “So what’s the plan now that Mikasa is here?”

 

            Eren paused for a moment staring at both of them for a second before saying, “To get Levi back of course.”

 

▐►►

 

            Evidence and information was shared, mostly with Mikasa to fill her in on the details. She seemed to be frustrated just as much as Hanji and Eren were. How could someone just disappear off the grid like that? _Where the hell did that bastard go?_ Mikasa currently had her arms folded across her chest. She was looking over the information, again. “Do you think he could have gone to a friend’s house?”

 

            “No, unless he’s working with someone, Erwin isn’t the type to share. Plus, Levi is kidnapped, I’m sure Erwin would have gotten caught by now had he been staying with someone.” Eren answered.

 

            “Then how about relatives? Erwin owns many houses, so what about siblings?”

 

            “No, Erwin has no siblings… I mean, his parents died a long time ago but… We already checked their house… It had their things still in the house, unlike Erwin’s houses. Weird, considering they’re dead…”

 

            Mikasa hummed at the new information, “Eren,” she started slowly, “Do you think that there is a possibility that Erwin got his house collecting trait from his parents? What are the odds they had homes, like vacation homes, just like Erwin? Do you think perhaps Erwin hasn’t had the chance to clean out that house yet?”

 

            Eren brushed a hand through his hair. Sure, they had considered that… but… They checked the house… But then again they were not looking for a deed to another home, they were looking for leads to find Levi… Eren looked down at the feather he had. It was Levi’s. He wished it would act like a metal detector, except instead of metal, he wished for it to find Levi… He glanced up at Mikasa, then at Hanji who had, for once, been listening quietly most likely due to the fact that she was probably running on fumes. “If you think that we should check again, then we will.” And Hanji nodded too, agreeing with what Eren said.

 

            Thus, the trio decided to leave right then and there. They each grabbed their coats, boots, gloves and whatever other accessories they needed to keep warm. After heading out the door, they piled into the car, Eren was in the drivers’ seat, Mikasa riding shotgun, and Hanji decided to crash in the backseat.

 

            “Damn, it’s already starting to snow like hell.” Eren commented as he started the car, zipping up his coat.

 

            Besides getting stuck in the snow once, the ride was pleasant. It was quiet yet tense. The home was on the outskirts of town, near the edge of the forest. Upon arriving there, Eren knew something was different about the home… That, and there were tire tracks leading up to the house, going around it as well. Someone had been there… and Eren couldn’t help but to have an uneasy feeling about this and it seemed that everyone else in the car was just as uneasy as he was.

 

            Eren was the first to get out of the car, cold nipping at his skin, flakes melting right onto him when they made contact. He started to walk up to the house, slowly, quietly and cautiously. What worried Eren was the fact that a light was on in the house… No one home, surely? Eren tried the doorknob, it was unlocked so Eren let himself in. He let his jaw drop as he walked in… The home was empty… _No…_ He glanced over his shoulder and saw Mikasa following him, he motioned for her to be quiet and split up. She merely nodded and went the other way.

 

            Making sure to watch his step, he couldn’t be too sure if anyone was here or not. He passed the dining room- _nothing._ He was about to go to the kitchen when he heard a loud thud followed by a yell of, “ _Shit!_ ” If Eren didn’t know any better… He knew who that voice belonged to. Rage took over him, leading and guiding his feet to where he heard the voice. Eren narrowly turned the corner, running to gain ground.

 

            “ _Shitwin!_ ” Eren yelled in disgust right as he saw him. Erwin had a hefty looking box in his hands, “I will fucking kill you! Where’s Levi!? Where did you take him!?” And then Eren charged forward, lunging himself right at Erwin. Eren never got his reply as Erwin chucked the hefty box right at him. The box hit him, causing him to fall over, papers spewed from it and they were flying everywhere. He hit the ground with a hard thud. Eren could hear Erwin leaving, running through the back door. “Fuck!” Eren cursed as he pushed the box off of him.

 

            “Eren?” Mikasa called out, suddenly appearing in the doorway. She rushed over to him and helped him up, “Are you okay?”

 

            “Fuck no, Mikasa that was Erwin!” He yelled, immediately running out of the house. _No… no…_ He was too late. Erwin’s truck was plowing through the snow covered driveway and went around the house, leaving them in the snow covered dust.

 

            “Eren!”

 

            _No… I let him escape…_

 

            “ _Eren!_ ”

 

            Eren felt like tearing his hair out. “What Mikasa!?” Eren hissed, turning around and glaring at Mikasa. He saw her frown. Eren felt bad now… It wasn’t her fault yet here he was, he had just yelled at her for no reason. “S-sorry, Mikasa, I lost my temper there… Um, what did you want to show me?” He pointed at a paper in Mikasa’s hands.

 

            “It’s alright Eren, just remember to keep your head because-” Mikasa handed Eren the paper, “I found a lead… A different deed to a home… Under the names of-”

 

            Eren blocked out what the names Mikasa had said. He felt like he was chocking. He couldn’t breathe…

 

            The deed was signed by none other than… _Carla_ and _Grisha Jaeger_.

 

            Eren remembered it… That home was the very home that he spent summers in… It was the home that he met Levi. Where they had become friends and eventually lovers. Eren felt like he could cry… What if Erwin had been there the whole time..? In _his_ house..? In the very house that he hoped to show Levi in the hope that Levi would regain his memories prior to the accident… If Erwin was staying there… Eren felt that he had no other option but to burn the house to the ground and burn Erwin with it. “Let’s go… Let’s go find that bastard and save Levi!”

 

            With no hesitation, Eren turned heading straight for the car. He didn’t care about anything right now but to see Levi again. As soon as he opened the car door Hanji yelled out, “Did you see that!? Was that who I think it was? ERWIN!?” Eren gave her a firm nod. He waited for Mikasa to get in, they buckled their seat belts and Eren floored it- or at least tried to… The car got stuck in the snow. Eren immediately yelled out a bunch of profanities.

 

            In the end Hanji said she would drive, claiming that for their safety they couldn’t let Eren drive with road rage in the snow. It was probably a bad idea to let her drive too because she was reckless but never the less at least they didn’t get stuck. She had to drive slower because it was snowing so hard. Sometimes she couldn’t see two feet in front of the car…

 

            _Complete whiteout conditions..._ The thought had clicked in Eren’s mind. _Blizzard-like conditions._ His patience was nonexistent right now but there was nothing he could do.

 

            All Eren could do is hope and wait.

 

            _Hope_. Eren hoped that Levi was alive and well. He hoped to see his lover again. He hoped to hold Levi in his arms again. He hoped to tell him that he missed him… that he loved him… He hoped he would get the chance to tell Levi about his past and why he forgot and why one wing is black while the other is white… Eren hoped… He hoped… He could only hope.

 

            And wait. Eren had to wait to do all of those things with Levi. He had to wait to cherish those moments. Eren had to wait to see Levi again. He had to wait to hold him again and tell him those things… Eren had to wait for what seemed like forever… He could swear insanity was taking over him.

 

            And wait… Eren had to wait… because everything was going so _slow…_ and wait… because Hanji was driving slow, granted not even he could see… He wasn’t blaming Hanji. She was a wonderful woman who had helped him more times than he could count. Mikasa was also dear to him. She was like a sister that he never had. And while Eren was waiting, he had took the moment to be thankful for what he had.

 

            And _wait!_ “There it is!” Eren cried out, pointing at a house in the distance. Luckily, now the snow had calmed down. He could see the home where he would soon learn if Erwin was staying there or not. This could be it- Eren’s chance to see Levi… He wanted to see him so bad that he got out of the car and started to run in the snow. He was actually going faster than the car now, mostly because the snow was deeper here than the car could handle. Eren made a mad dash for the house. Again, everything seemed to be going slow. He could only run so fast with the snow almost up to his knees. The driveway was plowed though and Eren knew immediately that someone was here… If his hunch was correct, it was Erwin and hopefully Levi. He could see the tire tracks, his eyes followed the tracks and there it was, Erwin’s truck.

 

            _He’s here! He’s here!_ Eren subconscious jumped and his heart skipped a beat. His adrenaline took over, leading him to the front door. He was just about to pull the door open when-

 

            _BANG!_ Eren froze, his blood ran cold. _Was that a gun shot?_ After hearing that shot, Eren resumed to open the door.

 

            _BANG!_ Eren needed to find the source of the firing and fast… _What it is Erwin... and he is firing at Levi!_

 

            _BANG!_ To Eren’s surprise he found Erwin, already bleeding and firing out the glass door that was wide open.

 

            “Erwin!” Eren called out, gaining his attention. Erwin turned to look at Eren with a nasty grin on his face.

 

            _BANG!_ Erwin fired at Eren. The bullet buzzed past him and hit the wall. “Well it’s so nice to see you Eren… But you’re too late.”

 

            “Oh no…” There was a growl that came from behind Eren. It was Hanji. She looked furious. It was as if her anger was radiating from her body and through her coat. Eren had never seen her this upset before. “I think I am on time. There is some much needed ass-kicking that needs to happen here…You better run because I think your time is up…”

 

            To make things better, that’s when Mikasa walked in. Her face was deadly enough… If looks could kill… You would be murdered. Her face was half covered with her hair. Eren got a dark vibe coming from her that just like her looks… she planned to go through with murder. “You…”

 

            It was now that Eren had just realized that Mikasa hadn’t met Erwin before now… Then why was she so mad?

 

            “It was _you_ all this time.” Mikasa said. Eren could have sworn she was about to combust into fire. “ _You_ are a _murderer!_ You _coward!_ You _rapist!_ ”

 

            Eren’s brows furrowed. _What is she talking about?_

 

            She pointed her finger at him and hissed, “You were the one… You _killed_ Isabel and Furlan!” Mikasa totally lost her temper. “You did this to _us_!” Then she bolted at him and tackled him to the ground. Mikasa threw a hard punch to Erwin’s face.

 

            “Woah, Mikasa don’t take all the fun! I want to beat him up too!” Hanji ran up to aid Mikasa.

 

            Eren stood there baffled for a moment before he spoke, “Wait- Where is Levi!?”

 

            Mikasa and Hanji stopped beating Erwin, holding him down and allowed him to speak. Erwin coughed some blood out of his mouth, “ _Levi?_ ” Erwin laughed, “You mean your scrawny mutated _freak_. The one I beat almost every day, stripped him of his clothes, starved him, tried to break him into submission… You mean the one who I chase out of the house just now, bleeding to death because I broke his wing? That _Levi?_ ” Erwin had a twisted grin on his face, “You better go get him, that is, if you’re not too late already…”

 

            “Levi’s alone!? Out there? You bastard!” Eren cursed.

 

            Hanji punched him in the nose. Blood spewed out. She looked up at Eren, stress evident in her eyes, “Eren go! Save my baby angel! Hurry- while we beat the fuck out of this guy!” And Mikasa nodded too, giving Eren the thumbs up to leave.

 

            And Eren left to do just that. He was _horrified_.

 

            _Levi, oh god- oh god._ Eren ran outside, he could see a trail of footsteps leading right into the forest. He had seen an imprint that looked like Levi had fallen but then he had gotten up. The trail kept going. With each step Eren felt tear swell up in his eyes.

 

            _Blood…_ and lots of it… There was a trail of blood and Eren followed it…

 

            Eren wiped his tears away. “Levi!” He said as he spotted a figure not too far away. Good thing it wasn’t snowing hard anymore… Eren was scared because Levi was laying down. He was pale… Levi looked lifeless. _Am I too late..?_

 

            _Could he be-? No. Levi’s fine. He’s okay…_ Eren told himself as he crouched down next to Levi. “Levi…” He repeated, still not getting any response. He looked at Levi’s frail form. There were frozen tears on his eye lashes… Eren saw all of the blood. He blinked and dare not look at Levi’s wing… all bent up and deformed…

 

            _No… I’m too late… No… No._

 

            “Levi..?” Eren brushed his hand through Levi’s messy black hair. Eren took off his coat. He picked up Levi cradling him in his arms. He heard a sound and saw a camera. “You… had a camera?” Eren questioned. He couldn’t it on because it was dead. He would have to look at it later because right now, Levi was his top priority… He carefully tucked Levi’s wind close together and wrapped Levi in his coat. “Levi, wake up… I’m here… Please, Levi. I’m here. Open your eyes and you’ll see…” Eren started to rock his body slowly as he held Levi close to his chest. “Oh god, no… Levi… Please stay with me.”

 

            “Levi… I’m here to save you… I’m going to help you get better again… We’ll get through this together…”

 

            “Levi.” Eren repeated.

 

            “Please Levi be okay…” He said as tears fell from his eyes. “You’re going to make it.”

 

            “Please live Levi… I can’t live without you… There was so much we didn’t get to do yet… There was so many things I left unsaid…” Eren was talking to no one. He hoped that somehow Levi could hear his words… The most Eren could do was bring Levi back and hope that Hanji could help him.

 

            Eren could only hope that Levi was still alive…

 

            He wasn’t going to let his biggest regret be that Levi died… _Alone_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday Eren~!
> 
> March 30th~
> 
> I'm sure this is the worst gift you have recieved.


	22. Levi...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I haven't been updating regularly! Please take this chapter in trade for forgiveness.

Levi

 

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            _Levi_ … Eren was relieved that he had his boyfriend back and that he was alive- well, sort of… Levi was in a coma and every day for the last week and a half Eren was there by his side. No one bothered him. Eren wanted to be alone with Levi. He wanted to be there with him when or if he ever awoke… Hanji would come in to do check-ups on Levi while Mikasa would do check-ups on Eren to make sure he was still doing okay.

 

            Others would stop in as well, Armin, Petra at one point, Jean, and Marco too. The weather wouldn’t stop them from coming to see Levi and Eren. No amount of snow nor cold could keep them away. Eren wasn’t sure if he liked having everyone come over… It wasn’t like he didn’t appreciate their company… but it was the look in everyone’s eyes that upset Eren. Most of them had the look of sadness or depression. Hanji just looked solemn. The day that they brought Levi in, Hanji was almost a wreck, Eren’s nerves were shot and he was barely keeping it together… It was a wonder how Mikasa could keep a straight face. Although, Eren could see that she was upset internally.

 

            Eren wouldn’t leave Levi’s side, not for almost anything. Hanji would bring him food and something to drink. The only time Eren left was to use the restroom or to shower. He never left Levi’s side longer than five minutes. When he would sleep, Eren would either sleep on the floor next to the bed, pull up a chair and lean onto the bed or sometimes he would even sleep with Levi. Though Hanji warned him to be careful when he did that, he knew he should too because he didn’t want to accidently pull one of the wires out; or hurt Levi in his sleep by accident for that matter.

 

            Every night before Eren fell asleep he would tell Levi how much he missed him, how much he loved him, and how he yearned for him to awaken from his slumber again so that they could continue living together, happily, once more. He then would pull off his oxygen mask, kiss Levi goodnight and then replace the mask.

 

            As Hanji said, it was a miracle that he was even alive. Levi came in frail, barely breathing, bleeding and freezing to death, yet somehow Levi had managed to cling onto life. He was  _alive_. Eren was sure that had he not have found Levi when he did… Levi would be dead right now, although coma wasn’t good, it was better than death. For now, Eren was content with Levi being in a coma. He was grateful that he was alive and slowly healing… By now, thanks to a little bit of surgery and Levi’s phenomenal healing and recovery, his wing was nearly all the way healed. The wing had recovered to its beautiful pure whiteness but would Levi be able to fly again? Eren hoped so.

 

            Looking at Levi right now scared Eren. It reminded him when Levi had gotten sick and had a concussion. Only, this time it was more severe. Levi had sustained more physical damage as well as mental trauma. To think that he was worried then… was a drastic understatement compared to now. Unlike last time, Eren didn’t leave Levi’s side as much as he could. He spent almost every minute of his day with Levi even though Hanji said it was unhealthy and that he should get out more.

 

            Currently the room was quiet, other than the sound of Levi’s heart monitor beeping and the low hum of whatever else he was hooked up to. Eren thought that Levi looked pale, with a beauty that only death could describe. He had spent almost every single minute staring at Levi and thinking about Levi. Sometimes he would even talk to Levi. Completely one-sided but it made him happy.

_Tired_. Eren felt tired. The days seemed to pass almost as slowly as it did when Levi was kidnapped. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. Eren shifted in his chair. Maybe he would take a small nap. He pulled up his chair, leaned forward and took Levi’s hand into his, intertwining their fingers. Eren rested his head near their hands, glanced up at Levi and then let his eyes flutter shut.

 

            It wasn’t even five minutes before Eren fell asleep.

 

►

_Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep…_

            That was the only sound in the room. It was actually quite annoying. Besides the constant beep in the room it was peacefully quiet… and _blindingly white._

_What the fuck keeps making that noise..?_  He thought groggily. His whole body felt heavy and stiff… He hazily tilted his head to the left gazing with blurry vision.  _Oh…_  He was shackled again… He glanced over to his right and saw some brown object next to him. He blinked and tried to refocus but couldn’t. Bringing his left hand to his eye, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. His right hand didn’t seem to want to move…

 

            He blinked and realized that he didn’t have shackles on… but a medical bracelet. He looked at the rest of his arm, there was an IV in his arm. He found himself surrounded by other bunches of wires… Now that he looked at everything, he wasn’t in a hospital but somewhere vaguely familiar…

 

            It was now that he realized- Levi realized that he was  _alive_.

 

            At this point in time Levi wasn’t sure if he should be happy about this or not… But one thing was for sure, the moment he realized Eren was next to him Levi almost broke out in tears. To think that he had given up hope… It was like time had stopped completely. It was just them. All that mattered now was the person next to him, “E-Eren..?” His voice was scratched, it came out like a whisper and it felt weird to talk. Levi so desperately wanted to sit up and be in Eren’s arms. His arm twitched and he realized why he couldn’t move his arm, let alone his hand. Their hands were intertwined. It was a beautiful sight. Levi wiggled his fingers slightly trying to gain feeling. He squeezed Eren’s hand. “Eren.” Levi repeated this time a little louder and moved his left hand over to Eren, touching his messy brown hair.

 

            It wasn’t real… There was no way… How could Levi be so lucky to see Eren again? He pinched himself- well at least he wasn’t dreaming and if he was dead, this was a cruel fate. But no, he was  _alive_  and Levi wanted Eren know to know just how alive he was.

 

            Levi was so utterly  _happy_  that the first person he saw when he awoke was Eren.

 

            “Eren.” Levi said as he brushed his hand through Eren’s hair, “Wake up.” And as if Eren was obeying Levi’s command, he began to stir, he inhaled through his nose as his eyes slowly fluttered open. Eren seemed to be in his own world as he woke up. Levi watched him lift his head slightly, looking at their hands and then furrow his brows when he saw Levi’s other hand near his head. It was interesting to watch. Like the gears in Eren’s head were slowly turning and Levi was watching the whole process.

 

            Then Eren’s head shot up and Levi made eye contact with him. They stared at each other in complete silence. Complete. Total.  _Shock_.

 

            They were both quiet for a moment longer before Eren said, “Tell me I’m not dreaming…”

 

            “No-” Was all Levi could say before Eren pulled him into a tight hug. Levi hissed in pain. “Ouch, Eren… You’re tugging on the IV in my arm.” He said and then Eren pulled back just enough that he wasn’t tugging on the IV anymore and also so they could make eye contact. Levi brought up a hand to Eren’s face, touching it and feeling it. He noted that Eren was already crying. Eren’s eyes were pooled with tears and Levi did the best he could to wipe them away. He had almost forgotten Eren’s touch… He hadn’t realized how much he longed to have Eren in his arms again.

 

            Once again they pulled each other into a tight hug. This time Eren was wary of Levi’s IV. They sat there and cried together for a while, held each other close, tightly, silently other than little sniffles. Levi latched onto Eren. His knuckles turned white as he gripped Eren’s shirt. Levi had never been more thankful to see someone in his life. He had never been happier to see someone either. “You came for me…” Levi said but it sounded more like a question.

 

            “Yes, of course I did… Levi… I love you. I never stopped looking for you- from the very moment I found out that you were kidnapped…” Eren pulled back slightly as he gazed into Levi’s eyes. In a way, they were both hurting, Levi more than Eren though. “I don’t want you to leave my side again…” Eren said as he sat back a little to give Levi some space.

 

            Levi thought this was somewhat ironic. He recalled an earlier time where Eren said something like that, “If I remember correctly, you said you wouldn’t leave me… Remember at the store? When you ran off to go do something. You left me there for not even five minutes and I had a… What are those things called? A panic attack, right?”

 

            Reality hit Eren hard, “Fuck, Levi… I’m sorry… I just thought times were different, you know? I didn’t think you’d get kidnapped at a party… I suck at keeping promises I suppose, but I did come back for you I swear! I looked everywhere for you.” Eren cupped Levi’s cheek, he wore a big smile on his face. “At least I have you back now.”

 

            “Barely.” Levi rolled his eyes, “I was terrified the whole time. Erwin was shit crazy. He kept beating me up and starving me… He told me that you were not looking for me, that you forgot about me, you didn’t love me at all. Erwin would remind me of this every day, as he would beat me, as he pulled on my shackles… I thought you left me there to die… I started to believe him. I wondered, what I did to deserve this. Why was I  _living_? Why was I  _suffering_? I wanted to  _die_. And… And-” The heart monitor was starting to beat irregularly. Levi choked on the tears he was trying to hold back. He was shaking uncontrollably as he sputtered meaningless shambles of words.

 

            Eren was horrified as to what was happening. He leaned over Levi, pulling him back into his arms, “No, please no Levi! It’s okay. You’re okay. I’m here.” Eren kissed his cheek and repeated himself like he was saying a chant. Levi was stressed, reliving the horror and he needed to calm down. Levi had physical scars and raw, emotional scars. Only the physical ones could be healed but the mental scars could only be mended over time. Together they would work through this. No matter how long it took. Eren rocked Levi back and forth slowly. He had to be strong for Levi. Sturdy, stable and comforting. “It’s okay Levi.” He cooed as he brushed a hand through Levi’s midnight locks which would need to be cut.

 

            After a moment Levi seemed to be reacting. The heart monitor was slowing, going back to its normal pace. Once again Levi was reduced to tears, he was shaking in Eren’s arms. Had Eren not known any better he could have sworn he had a heart attack or was going to.

 

            Something like this wasn’t supposed to happen. Neither of them wished for this. Levi didn’t deserve to be caged. He didn’t deserve to be tortured. He didn’t deserve the life he had lived up until now. Levi didn’t deserve to suffer… Eren wished he could take all the pain away from Levi. To share Levi’s pain would even be a blessing… Knowing that Levi wasn’t carrying this burden alone. A burden that, Eren was sure, was tearing Levi apart inside. So traumatizing that he was completely broken in Eren’s arms, crying his heart out. Eren knew it would be hard to forget, in fact, Levi probably would never forget this… just like he didn’t forget Isabel and Farlan.

 

            It was really too bad that Levi was only remembering only a fraction of what his life has been… Eren blamed the accident for this…

 

            “I-I’m sorry.” Levi said in a low whisper. He wiped his eyes and sniffled.

 

            Eren’s reply came out like a scoff, “What for? Why the fuck are you apologizing, Levi? I should be the one to do that, not you.” He pulled back to look at Levi who seemed kind of startled to be pushed away so quickly.

 

            “I’m just…” Levi huffed and brushed a hand through his hair, “A fucking mess.”

 

            “Ah, but you’re my mess.” Eren countered and Levi rolled his eyes.

 

            “I missed you so much…”

 

            “And I missed you too.” Eren echoed.

 

            “Did I tell you how much I loved you yet?” Levi inquired but he knew that he hadn’t yet.

 

            “No but I’m going to say it first. I love you so fucking much Levi… So, so much.” And Levi replied by leaning forward. Eren got the message and met him halfway. Their lips collided in a chaste kiss. They both longed to have this contact, both ached for it. Just a simple kiss was enough to lite a flame that Levi had thought wasn’t there anymore. He felt complete once again.

 

            “You really are my hope…” Levi said as he broke the kiss, “And you look like shit.” He snorted. It was the truth. Eren had bags under his eyes. His hair was a complete mess, more than it was on a normal basis. You could tell that he hadn’t or wasn’t sleeping well.

 

            And then Eren gave a little laugh, it almost sounded foreign coming out of his lips. Levi treasured the sound. It had been too long since the last time he had heard something so precious. “You too.” Eren said and kissed Levi’s cheek. If only Levi knew what he looked like… He would probably storm out of the room demanding to get into a bath or shower.  _Nope_. Eren wasn’t going to tell him that he needed a haircut too. “You know… I really don’t want to ruin this moment… but I think I need to tell Hanji you’re awake.”

 

            “Tch, then don’t ruin the moment, Eren. What are you doing?”

 

            Eren laughed, “Awe, did someone miss me?”

 

            “Fuck yes. Eren, I thought we’ve been over this.”

 

            “That doesn’t change the fact that I still need to get Hanji.”

 

            “Fine, but you can call her… After five more minutes though.” Levi pulled Eren towards him and embraced him. “I should have the right to have some alone time with my boyfriend…” Levi blinked, “It seems like forever since I’ve said that.”

 

            “Yeah…” Eren said and paused thoughtfully. “You have no idea.”

 

            And it was peaceful- “MY BABY’S AWAKE!” until Hanji busted through the door. “I knew I heard two voices!” Hanji dramatically clasped her hands together as she approached the bedside. She could tell that she was ruining a precious moment, well- barely. Hanji was teary eyed to the point she almost ran into the bed because she was blinded by her tears.

 

            Levi sighed as he looked from Eren to Hanji and then back to Eren again. They seemed to read each other’s mind. “Come on Hanji-” Levi started but didn’t even have to finish what he was saying before Hanji basically tackled both of them into a tight hug. Although it was gross that Hanji was crying on his shoulder; producing snot everywhere and such, Levi was glad to receive a hug from Hanji. He could feel and see how much both of them worried about him. Levi was sorry to have caused so much worry, yet he was glad to be the relief to the worry.

 

            Levi remembered when he was worried all the time. He was so frantic and nervous.  _It took me this long to get comfortable with Eren- and Hanji I suppose._  He felt a bond between them. They were all friends here- well, he and Eren were boyfriends…  _Lovers_? Both? Was that the technical term? In any case, Levi loved Eren and he was glad that he had Hanji as a friend. She was so supportive of him just like Eren was.

 

            “I’m glad I have a friend like you Hanji. Thank you for looking out for me.” Levi said softly, he was tired of crying and was trying not to cry again.

 

            But Hanji was all tears, “Oh Levi, hun…” She tried to wipe away her sad yet happy tears. “You know I will always have your back, and Eren’s too.”

 

            “So how long was I out?”

 

            “Almost two weeks.” Eren answered.

 

            The room was quiet for a moment.  _I was in a coma for almost two weeks?_  “And if it wasn’t for the fact that we acted quickly, your healing abilities and some act of nothing short of a miracle… You probably would have died.” Hanji added solemnly. At least by now no one was crying.

 

            It was now that Levi remembered. Reality hit him. Levi pushed them back at the same time in shock, “Shit, what’s today?”

 

            Hanji smiled wide and Eren smiled too. They looked at each other and then at Levi. “Christmas Eve.”

 

            “Really?”

 

            “Yeah, it’s five in the morning.” Hanji said.

 

            “What, really?” Eren asked and then he looked at Levi, “I always knew you were an early bird, Levi.”

 

            “Oh ha-ha.” Levi said as he laid back onto the bed behind him. “So… uh what happened to Erwin?” He asked uncomfortably.

 

            Well that was certainly a bold question for Levi or at least that’s what Eren thought. He was surprised Levi wanted to talk about it so soon. He seemed pretty stable. Looking over at Hanji who was smiling broadly Eren asked, “Would you like to do the honors?”

 

            “How much do you want to know?” Hanji inquired.

 

            “Um…” Levi hesitated, he honestly was uncomfortable with this topic but never the less he wanted to know what happened in the end. “How about you give me a summary..?”

 

            “I SHAVED HIS EYEBROWS!” Hanji said loudly and triumphantly. She started to laugh and Levi couldn’t help but to roll his eyes in amusement.

 

            “Damn Hanji, I’m about less than two feet from you. Turn down the volume please.” Levi rubbed his ears, “Is… that it?”

 

            “Oh, Levi. You’re so silly!” Hanji laughed and then clasped her hands together. “Of course not.”

 

            To this Levi scoffed, “Well are you going to tell me or not?” He actually found himself impatient to learn information that he wasn’t even sure he wanted to know.

 

            “Alright. Alright, Levi, sheesh. I’ll tell you, don’t worry.” Hanji took the liberty to sit down on Levi’s bed, right next to his feet. It was now that Levi noticed how shitty she looked too. Her hair was so messy in a ponytail. She, like Eren had bags under her eyes. Both of them probably could use some sleep. “Let’s see… When Eren left to go save you, it was just me and Mikasa together. We were-”

 

            “Mikasa?!” Levi interrupted. As soon as Hanji had said the name his mind flashed back to the day he was escaping… It couldn’t be  _that_  Mikasa… Could it?

 

            But as soon as Levi was going to ask Hanji, he watched Eren punch her arm, “Aww! Hanji! That was going to be a surprise!” Eren complained. He looked upset, though it appeared that he wasn’t actually angry.

 

            “Sorry! I didn’t know! You didn’t tell me!” Hanji rubbed her arm.

 

            All Levi wanted to know was now, besides what happened to Shitwin, was- “Surprise for what?” Levi inquired.

 

            Eren turned to Levi, his brows furrowed, “For Christmas of course.”

 

            “Fuck, when is Christmas? I didn’t miss it right?”

 

            There was a pause in the room before Levi got an answer. “It’s Christmas Eve, Levi.” Eren repeated from earlier as he pointed out the obvious, “You’re just in time to celebrate.” Levi felt happy that he was with Eren. It was the best timing he could ever ask for… Which reminded him that he had gotten Eren a secret gift too. He was relieved. Levi couldn’t wait to give Eren his gift. He deserved it. Levi felt that it should be a reward of sorts. He considered himself lucky that Eren hadn’t given up on him… He had stuck with him… Eren didn’t abandon Levi.

 

            “Hey! Wait! What about my story?” Hanji whined, “I thought you wanted to know what happened, Levi?”

 

            Levi shrugged, “Sorry we got sidetracked, Hanji. Hurry up and speak woman.”

 

            And Hanji did as Levi told her, “Well- As I said when Eren left to go save you, it was me and Mikasa. We had him pinned down. I got to punch him several times and so did Mikasa. He had a nice wound on his arm, curtesy of you… It was quite fun to stab him. A piece of some shard was still there. I will assume it was something made out of glass?”

 

            Levi nodded, “It was a fragment of a plate.”

 

            “Awesome.” Hanji giggled and then continued. “Well, we were going to kill Erwin right then and there but then-” Hanji looked at Eren and then back at Levi, “Eren came back. He was scared and frantic… You were in his arms. You looked so frail. We all thought you were dead but by some miracle you were still alive. You were freezing to death from hypothermia. Luckily, the snow helped your wing to clot up so the bleeding would stop. I was so afraid that you lost too much blood.” Hanji frowned and sighed, “Anyway, basically what happened was that Mikasa and I chained him up in the basement. We saw the vomit and the blood. Mikasa thought he deserved to be chained. We tossed him in there like a rag doll and he landed on the vomit!” Hanji started to laugh, “It was so funny!”

 

            Eren smacked his forehead with his hand. “Wow Hanji…”

 

            “You can’t deny that it was funny, Eren.” Hanji poked Eren side. She paused for a moment to remember where she was, “Oh, so… we couldn’t stay and laugh for long because you were in critical condition. Mikasa stayed behind to watch Erwin while Eren and I took you into the car. It was hell to get here but we did it.” Hanji smiled, “You should have seen it. You were all freezing to death and unconscious yet… You clung onto Eren the whole time in the car. I swear, if you were not dying in that moment… It would have been the cutest thing I’ve ever seen you do.”

 

            Levi blinked. He looked at Hanji and then Eren whose eyes were both on him, “What..?” He felt his cheeks heat up. “Don’t look at me like that... Continue the story… or is that it?”

 

            “Nope!” Hanji reluctantly moved on even though she wanted to tease both boys about how cute they were together. “Once we had you established here, Eren stayed to watch over you while I went back. When I arrived and went downstairs I saw Mikasa punching Erwin. I told her not to mess up his face too much because-” Hanji grinned mischievously, “I wanted to shave his brows. Let me tell you that it was the best thing ever. He hated it. Even Mikasa joined in, I let her shave the other brow. Together we beat him into a pulp… and when we got done… The house may have  _accidently_ caught on fire… He was kind of left there to burn in the basement. There may have been screams but I don’t know if I hallucinated them over the fire.” Hanji said sarcastically and laughed, “Oops, sorry but no one messes with my baby and gets away with it.”

 

            Levi frowned at the nickname Hanji called him. He didn’t approve, “I am not your baby nor am a baby. Don’t call me that.” Levi crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t necessarily resent Hanji’s comment… He just felt… He didn’t know how to describe that feeling.

 

            “Awe, poor Levi doesn’t like being called a baby.” Hanji cooed, “Sorry Levi but you’re my baby. I take care of you so don’t sass me Levi.” She immaturely stuck out her tongue. Once she was done doing that she continued her story, “By the time Mikasa and I got back to Eren and you… He was… crying and I soon found out why… Because…” Hanji found it hard to speak. She remembered everything she watched… All the suffering Levi went through… “Eren had put new batteries in the camera that he had found on you… we watched basically a documentary of how Erwin kidnapped you and tormented you… We were all broken then, even Mikasa. She said she understood and knew your pain…”

 

            It was now that Eren chose to speak up, “Not too long after that Mikasa left. I couldn’t do anything but hope that you were alive… Especially since you had to have some surgery on your wing. As Hanji said, it was a miracle that you survived and it probably was your good healing factor that let you live… You were in a coma after the surgery… We had no idea when you would awaken again.”

 

            Levi swallowed slowly, “I see…”

 

            “And Eren stayed by your side every day and night, not leaving it for anything except to take a shower or use the restroom. Talk about dedicated Levi.” Hanji pointed at Eren who brushed a hand through his hair bashfully.

 

            “Yeah…” Levi said softly and extended his hand out to Eren. “I am so lucky to have him…”

 

            Eren reached out and grabbed onto Levi’s hand. They intertwined their fingers together. “Yeah, and I’m thankful I still even have you.” The two locked eyes and stared at each other for a moment before Eren leaned forward and gave Levi a chaste kiss. After the sweet kiss Eren turned his head to look at Hanji, “Can I take him home today?”

 

            Hanji hesitated to answer that question, “Eren… He’s not really supposed to… He just woke up-”

 

            “Please?” Eren asked.

 

            “He’s not-”

 

            “ _Please_?” Eren repeated.

 

            “Please Hanji?” Levi joined in. He wanted to go home already… He missed it so much.

 

            And both of the boys watched Hanji’s expression change. Her face told them that she was fighting a mental war. Hanji’s hands rushed to her head and she started to pull on her hair. “Ugh! Okay! Okay! Alright! Fine. Levi can go-”

 

            “Yay!” Eren said and Levi squeezed his hand.

 

            “BUT!” Hanji emphasized, “He has to stay here all day and have no issues… And- if he goes home and has issues… if has he  _any_  issues whatsoever… You  _need_  to call me… Do I make myself clear?”

 

            “Yes Hanji.” They both said.

 


	23. Levi's Return Home

Levi’s Return Home

 

►

 

 _Home_. That all Levi wanted. He wanted to be home. So after waiting impatiently in bed all day Levi was more than willing to go home. Hanji had checked him. Once, twice and the third time Levi swatter her away. Levi seemed to be healthy and Hanji kept her promise to let him go if he didn’t have any issues all day.

 

Thus, Levi found himself latching onto Eren in a piggyback fashion as he took him to the car. It must have been an interesting sight. One man on the back of another, both with thick fluffy coats on, warm gloves and snow boots. Eren had a forest green knitted hat and Levi had a red scarf on. Levi felt good right now despite how cold it was. It was lightly snowing outside… It was nice, fluttering down in little ice crystals… Levi remembered laying in the snow, seeing the flakes, thinking about them and how pretty they were. He didn’t have a vendetta against the snow… “I like the snow…” Levi commented.

 

“Me too.” Eren said quietly.

 

Levi was… Happy to say the least. Eren seemed to be happy even though he was carrying Levi. They both seemed to have high spirits right now. Levi took the opportunity to nuzzle his nose into Eren’s hair. _You smell clean_ … “You smell nice, Eren.”

 

Levi received a laugh from Eren, “Its lavender.” Secretly, Levi decided that he liked the way Eren smelled.

 

“Lavender is nice.” Levi said as he was lowered backwards into the passengers’ seat. He let go of Eren and got comfortable in his seat. Eren shut the door for him while he buckled his seat belt. Levi watched as Eren made his way around the car and then get in, buckling his seat belt too. And Levi couldn’t help but to notice how Eren was staring at him. Levi tilted his head slightly and raised a brow. He didn’t know why Eren was staring. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

 

Eren smiled and shrugged, “Don’t I get a kiss?”

 

Levi pursed his lips and his brows furrowed in a confused manner, “For what?” Levi inquired.

 

“For carrying you here. I feel like I should have some kind of reward.” There was something in Eren’s tone that told Levi he was teasing. “Show a little love for the man who watched over you while you were in a coma."

 

 _What the hell? You have to be kidding me._ “You couldn’t have just kissed me instead of asking?” Levi asked and Eren shook his head no, a smile on his lips. So Levi sighed and rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot, you know that right?” Levi said. He then leaned towards Eren and Eren leaned towards Levi- they stopped. Levi pulled down his scarf and he was about to kiss Eren when his coat got in the way. Levi sent a glare at Eren who merely laughed in response as he unzipped his coat a bit. And before Eren could say anything Levi leaned in, kissing Eren’s lips and successfully stopping Eren from talking.

 

But this kiss was different… Levi found himself being pulled into the kiss by Eren... But not a chaste kiss. When Eren bit his bottom lip, Levi knew what Eren wanted. He went with it. It seemed foreign to kiss like this. They had hardly ever kissed liked this, only a handful of times. But _damn_ , Levi loved it when Eren pushed his tongue into his mouth. Eren seemed to be more dominant right now but Levi didn’t mind, he let it happen. He let Eren lean over onto his side of the seat, he let Eren cup his cheek, and he let Eren explore his mouth… Levi let a small moan escape his lips.

 

They kissed like that for a while. Feelings that were lost or put on pause seemed to be returning. Emotions that were held back were starting to work again. The love that was growing between then was blooming again. Hearts were fluttering and pulses were beating fast.

 

But then the kiss ended and Levi pushed Eren back to his side of the car. With heated cheeks he asked, “Can we go home now?”

 

“Yes, of course we can Levi.” Eren said, and with that he drove off, heading home.

 

►

 

 _Night._ It was already night time, so the drive home was pretty much all on the dark. Neither men minded, they both were content with the dark and the peace and quiet that surrounded then. The only reassurance they needed was the intertwined fingers of their hands.

 

By the time they got home it was about eleven. It was now that Levi could take in the snow covered building that was their home. It looked so pretty, almost glowing in the night as the moon cast its light upon it. The home looked vacant, like it had been empty for ages… _Ready to move into…_ The home was ideal. It was almost like they were a newly wedded couple, coming home to their brand new home which was just purchased. It was a paradise in the midst of nowhere. Surrounded with vast land that was currently covered in snow. Away from the plagues of the city. _Quiet_ and _peaceful_ … “This house really is beautiful…” Levi commented quietly.

 

There was a quiet hum from Eren, he understood what Levi was saying. “Just wait until tomorrow… I have so many surprises for you.” Levi merely tilted his head, peering over at Eren. He stared at him for a moment, quietly. Eren smiled. And Levi felt happy. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

 

“Only a pretty smile… Now let’s get inside, it’s starting to get cold in here.” Levi watched as Eren blushed slightly, leaned forward and kissed Levi’s forehead and finally Eren turned to get out of the car. Eren made his way around the car and opened Levi’s door. Levi reached out towards Eren, “Carry me in your arms.”

 

“That’s what I was going to do. Although we’ll have to be careful, there’s a lot of snow and some ice. Don’t want to fall, you know.” Eren said as he scooped Levi into his arms, this time carrying him in a bridal style fashion and closed the door once he was out. Now Levi really did feel like they were newlyweds… It was a weird feeling. He didn’t think he would be a bride though, he thought that would be more for Eren…

 

Oh, look, he was thinking of marriage shit. Where the fuck did that come from? Maybe he was still not right in the head? He didn’t know… It was a weird feeling. He felt like he thought about this at one point of another. It felt familiar, normal even. But this was the first time Eren had carried him like this… _Wasn’t it?_ “Hey Eren?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Have you ever carried me like this before?” He asked as Eren handed him the keys to the house. Levi unlocked the door while in Eren’s arms. As soon as the door was unlocked, Eren kicked the door open.

 

“Yes I have…” The weird thing was that Levi didn’t even feel surprised. It felt normal. It felt good to be with Eren. He felt at home in Eren's arms.

 

As they entered the home, their home, the familiar warmth rushed over Levi inviting him in. It felt so good to be at home again. He clung onto Eren as he closed the door, Levi reached out and locked the door. “Are you going to put me down so I can take off my winter things? It's kind of warm in here and I think I'm about to break out in a sweat.” He joked but never the less it seemed to work because Eren laughed set him down. They both proceeded to take off their winter coats, shoes and any other winter items they had. Once they were done shedding their winter coats, Eren scooped Levi back into his arms again. “Tch- I can walk you know.” Levi complained as Eren carried him like a child to the kitchen.

 

“Hanji said you should rest as much as you can. Plus, I like to carry you. You're not heavy at all... And I was going to make some hot chocolate.” Eren said as he set Levi down on the counter. A sigh escaped Levi, he didn't bother to argue. This time Levi was looking down at Eren. All Levi had to do was glance down at Eren's lips once, blink, and then Eren's lips quickly found their way onto his. It was a quick peck. Immediately after, Eren went over and flipped the on switch. The lights flickered for a moment before illuminating the room.

 

 _Home_. It felt amazing to be home right now... Levi felt comfortable here. This felt right. He felt loved here. Levi belonged here. It was weird, no, it felt like his other feelings about this place as well as Eren... This place felt more and more _familiar_ every time Levi walked through the door. Familiar... yet he had no memories of why and what exactly was familiar... Maybe it was because Levi felt happy to be here. This was his home. Maybe it was because after he had calmed down... started to put trust in others, especially Eren... and stopped being nervous all the time... Through this he was able to lower his walls just enough for Eren to slip through.

 

While waiting for the water to boil in the kettle, both boys looked forward to the comfort and warmth that hot chocolate brought on a cold day. Levi let his feet dangle. He pulled Eren to him, moving his legs apart to let Eren get closer. It was a welcoming warmth that Levi appreciated greatly. Wrapping his legs and then his arms around Eren's neck, Levi hummed softly while Eren settled his hands on Levi's hips.

 

No words were spoken when they both simultaneously leaned towards each other. Both of them were making mental notes of how handsome the significant other was before sealing the deal with yet another chaste kiss. Then they proceeded to give each other Eskimo kisses until the whistle of the kettle could be heard.

 

It felt so good and so right to be with Eren again. To be near Eren was good... but to be in his arms made Levi feel complete. Even as Levi let Eren separate from him to get the kettle he felt safe and content. The fact that Eren was within Levi's sight comforted him. Levi patiently waited and watched as Eren got the hot chocolate ready; pouring the water into two coffee cups, then adding the hot chocolate mix and finally mixing it all together with a spoon. Eren handed Levi a cup carefully.

 

“Thank you.” Levi said upon receiving the warm hot chocolate.

 

“You're welcome, Levi, anything for you.” Eren replied before taking a sip of his hot chocolate.

 

About thirty minutes passed when both men finished their hot chocolate. Levi yawned not just from feeling full and warm, but also tired and sleepy. After Eren put their coffee cups in the sink he picked Levi up in a bridal fashion again, this time earning no complaints, merely mumbles. He could tell that Levi was tired and maybe a little fatigued. Considering he woke up just this morning... Levi had one hell of a healing factor.

 

Levi curled into Eren's chest as much as he could, breathing in his clean scent and closed his eyes. With his eyes closed, Levi listened to several things; what Eren was physically doing as he walked, his breathing and Eren's heart. Levi listened to the way the beat seemed to be steady, only rising slightly as he climbed the stairs.

 

The moment they were in the bedroom Levi could tell, he didn't need to open his eyes to know. “What kind of pajamas do you want?” Eren asked as he set Levi onto the bed. However, Eren never really received an answer, just a grunt. He watched as Levi literally started to strip out of his clothes, tossing them to Eren until he was only in his boxers. Eren sighed happily and he too stripped down to his boxers, threw the excess clothes into the laundry bin and then followed Levi into the bed.

 

While Eren stripped his clothes Levi crawled on the bed, finding a comfortable spot, pulling the blankets onto him and cuddling into them. Levi yawned once more. The bed shook slightly as Eren climbed into bed and as soon as Eren was next to Levi, he moved closer to him. He didn't know how much he missed sleeping with Eren until now. They cuddled ad huddled together in each others arms... Slowly... calmly... quietly... falling asleep.

 

It was nice and peaceful... And with Christmas literally in a few minutes, Levi's return home was perfect timing. Levi had no idea what surprise was coming as he fell asleep in Eren's arms.

 


	24. Levi Awakens

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I started writing this when I was mad.  
> I am sorry.  
> Also, from now on, I will not being saying TRIGGER WARNING anymore.  
> You are big kids/ teens/ adults. Read at your own risk. I mean dang, this is rated R.
> 
> I am so sorry. lol I can already feel the hate.
> 
> Please enjoy~ <3
> 
> Oh and this hasn't been beta'd, sorry again for any mistakes. You've been waiting too long, so I have to update. (So many sorry's)

Levi Awakens

 

►

 

 _Dreaming_. Levi was dreaming. Sleep was a beautiful thing and it seemed that Levi slept the best next to Eren. He found himself sleeping soundly curled next to Eren...

 

            Or so he thought...

 

           Levi awoke with his wings strapped down tightly and outstretched, only something was askew. Both his wings were _black_? Eren was nowhere in sight. Actually, as Levi blinked, he realized that he wasn't even in the same bedroom they were sharing. He wasn't even in the same bedroom he fell asleep in. Levi was cold, miserable, hungry– and now incredibly scared. A small white room, like a hospital, a _messed up_ hospital. He was no longer in the comfort of Eren's home but... to something that resembled a medical bed.

 

           No, more like torture bed.

 

           From where he was laying Levi could see that his ankles, wrists, and even his torso was strapped down. Ironically, there was only one thought that came to his mind right at that moment:

 

_Well this isn't good... How the hell did I get here?_

 

            On the bright side, well, no wait, there wasn't a bright side to this at all. Levi wanted to know what the hell was going on and why the fuck wasn't he in bed with Eren right now.  _Damn, what do I have to do to get some attention around here?_   Levi thought, because after all, he couldn't get answers while just lying there. Although Levi felt like he should be panicking, something told him that now wasn't the time. It was  _instinct_  and Levi now knew well than to against his instincts.

 

            Yet at the same time, Levi really hoped this was a dream... However, he couldn't necessarily pinch himself to figure it out. So he just laid there, quietly, because there was no use for screaming and struggling when it was clearly obvious that he couldn't get anywhere. Why waste the effort? Surely his mind was playing tricks on him… Right? _Right_? Why was he here? No. Levi shook his head. This was obviously a nightmare. He sighed, yeah… that’s what this was…

 

            _Beep_. The sound made Levi flinch. _Beep_. He blinked again. _What was that?_ Levi wondered. _Beep_. Angling his head, Levi’s eyes moved around the room, trying to find the source of the noise and– _Beep_. There it was. How could he _not_ notice a monitor next to the bed? That was strange, he hadn’t heard it all this time… But then again, since when was there all kinds of sounds? It was like his hearing just now decided to work. _What is going on?_ Now that he could hear, he noticed that there were actually people nearby, perhaps in the next room over? They were talking, saying things he could hardly hear or interpret.

 

            Then the only door to the room suddenly flung open, startling Levi to the point that the heart monitor he was hooked up to actually spiked. First one doctor came in, then another, and another and finally a nurse. All of them were covered head to toe, gloves, the long white coats, facial masks, and scrubs– the whole ordeal. “Ah, patient so 5384 finally awakened from his slumber.” Said doctor number one, none of the people in the room had name tags. _What the hell? 5384?_

 

            “I wonder, did you dream while you were in a coma?” Asked the second doctor.

 

            “A better question would be if he can actually hear us.” Said the third doctor. He walked to the bedside, gazing down at Levi. He hummed to himself, “Can you hear us patient 5384?” _Again with the 5384? I suppose that’s supposed to be me, isn’t it?_ Levi merely nodded to the question. Yeah, he could definitely hear them. The number seemed to ring a bell somewhere in the back of Levi’s mind. Why did it sound familiar? Who were these people and why was he here? “Good.” Said doctor number three. “I suppose it’s good that you didn’t die. We might have lost major funding.”

 

            Meanwhile, while Levi was distracted with the third doctor, the first and second doctor were calibrating the medical instruments around him. They worked quietly and seemingly in synchronization with each other… Then there was the nurse who was still standing in the same spot, next to the door. Judging by her posture, she looked stiff. Why? Levi didn’t know. Hell, he didn’t know what was going on… “How soon do you think he will be ready?” Asked the third doctor.

 

            “Eh, maybe an hour, perhaps sooner. At this rate he should be well enough to go again.” Said the second doctor.

 

            There was a gasp from the nurse as she finally decided to speak up. “Don’t you think that will be too soon? I mean, he just woke up. He should get some food and proper water at least. Give him some time to recuperate.” Her voice stuck out to Levi… Like he had heard it before. It seemed she was trying to help him or perhaps even delay what was going to happen… Which Levi had no idea what the hell was going on or what was going to happen for that matter. All he knew was that his gut twisted to the point he wanted to vomit. Seeing the doctors, hearing them talk about him like a test subject… This was plain cruel. It wasn’t right.

 

            _Why were they doing this and what were they going to do..?_ That’s the only two questions that echoed in Levi’s head at that moment. Not knowing was making him feel uneasy, however ignorant bliss, he sensed, was the way to go. Some part of him knew it would be bad if he asked. That same part of him knew what he would hear would not make him feel any better about the situation he was in. Thus, asking what was to come was out of the question. He would just have to wait and see…

 

            While Levi had been deep in his thoughts the doctors had been negotiating. Luckily, it seemed that the nurse had won the argument. He mentally thanked the nurse for delaying the doom that he knew was to come. Soon enough, the other doctors left, leaving Levi alone with the nurse. Friend or foe, Levi had a feeling he would be figuring that out fairly soon. There was a sigh that escaped the nurse as she turned on her heel and walked slowly towards Levi. “How are you feeling, Levi?” She asked softly and when Levi only responded by furrowing his brows, she pulled off her mask. “Come now Levi, surely you remember me?” The lady asked as Levi finally could see all of her face. She was… Levi blinked. Very familiar… Her face was soft with a smile on it. The lady’s eyes had a particular twinkle in them that rang a bell in the back of Levi’s mind. “It’s me, Carla.”

 

            _Carla…_ Levi blinked and furrowed his brows as he tried to remember why that name was so important… _Wait! Carla!_ His mind seemed to finally catch on to what was happening. Yes, he remembered her. She was Eren’s mother. “C…Carla..?” Levi asked, unsure of himself. “It’s been a while…” He found himself saying. Though he had no idea when he last saw her. “How long have I been out this time?” _This time_? What the hell was he saying? His mouth seemed to know what it was talking about, so did his brain. Yet here was Levi, desperately attempting to piece this all together.

 

            A small frown briefly settled onto Carla’s face from Levi’s question. “Too long, Levi. I am sorry I couldn’t help you… But if everything is supposed to work out, then I needed more time. This time around I am ready to carry out the plan we talked about. So don’t you worry, Levi, I have made it my personal duty to make sure you live– Not only that, you will be freed, I promise you.” Carla said, giving her word, a tender promise for Levi. She knew it was wrong for him to be where he was at. Freedom was the only thing worthy enough for Levi at this point. He didn’t deserve to be locked up as he was, nor tortured like he was about to be…

 

            Baffled was what Levi was, truly baffled. Carla really did keep her word. She would help him… She would save him. “Thank you Carla…” He said and really meant it too. Once he was out, the first thing he would do is find Eren. Yes, that’s what he would do, that’s who he wanted to see the most. After being separated for so long, their reunion would make him very happy. “When are you going to put the plan into effect?” He asked slowly, not even remembering what the plan was because his mind felt groggy and slow.

 

            At this point of time, Levi was beginning to think that this wasn’t a _dream_ … Much to his dismay. This all felt very _real_ to him. In fact, he was sure he was physically there. This caused a knot to bundle itself inside of Levi’s stomach. It made him uncomfortable to thing that… All his memories… Were fake. All those touches, kisses, hugs, everything about Eren… It was all _fake_. None of it had happened. It only happened in his head. Knowing that he never went through all of that with Eren… Just made Levi want to break down… There was no way that was all fake, was there..?

 

            There was a sigh that escaped Carla as she looked down at Levi. “Well, I was hoping to do it as soon as possible… Once you are well enough and strong enough. Levi, I am telling you this now so please listen to me.” She said as she extended her hand and gently brushed some of Levi’s hair out of his face. A weak smile could be seen on her face as she tried to be positive about the situation. “You have to fight for your life one more time. There is nothing I can do to prevent what the others are planning. They will experiment on you. I’m afraid that they will–”

 

            “N-no, don’t tell me what they are going to do, Carla. I will get more nervous than I already am. I may not look like it, but when shitty scientist keep poking me with needles, breaking my bones and sometimes cutting me open, I’ve learned the hard way– Trust me, I know.” Levi said as he stared up at Carla. She was such a motherly woman. Going out of her way to take care of him, look out for him, and be there when he needed it…

 

            As expected, Carla hummed and nodded with a sad look in her eyes. It hurt her to see Levi like this… And he would be in worse condition later… “Alright Levi, just remember… That if we fail, you won’t be the only one who suffers. Isabel, Farlan and Mikasa are in this too, their lives are at stake as well. So you should be–”

 

            “They’re _alive_!?”

 

            Carla flinched from Levi’s outburst, a look of confusion was evident on her face. “Well of course they are. They have been hoping you would wake up, they miss you, don’t you know?” She said, her voice was soft and gentle. “Why? Did you have a nightmare that they died or something? Because I assure you that they are all still alive and well.” A smile made itself known on Carla’s face. She was happy to see the relief on Levi’s face. “No worries, Levi. I am sure everything will work out. You will be free and so will they. I promise you… But first…” The radiant smile quickly shifted of her face and was replaced by a small frown, “But you have to survive a little longer, okay. Don’t resist them if you can, just get through it and recover. We can get through this, Levi. I believe in you… Now… Let’s get some food in you, shall we?”

 

            With that being said, Carla pulled her mask back on and straightened herself out before giving Levi a small wave. She would be back, Levi knew she would. He believed that Carla wouldn’t abandon him. He watched as she left the room leaving Levi to his own devices. It made Levi so unbearably happy… His friends were alive… They were _alive_! But… But what about Eren? Where was he in all of this? Did he dream it all? Surely not..? Hopefully not… He loved Eren… With all of his heart. And he hadn’t gotten the chance to tell him that in person yet… Not to mention they were going to celebrate Christmas together…

 

            Right then the winged man felt mixed feelings. While he was very happy that his friends were alive, he was sad that… His love life had all been a lie. However, Levi refused to accept that. No, he wouldn’t give up on Eren. There was no way he would give up what they had, he wouldn’t give up the emotions he had for Eren, no, he wouldn’t give up… He would keep fighting… For Eren, for Isabel, Farlan, Mikasa, Carla… and Hanji if she was around… He would fight for himself. He wouldn’t give up, couldn’t give up, no way would he give up until everyone was free, not until he was reunited with Eren once more… In his arms… Until he knew that he would forever be safe and happy.

 

            Waiting patiently for Carla’s return wasn’t so bad. Even though he was nervous about the experiments the evil scientists were planning to perform on him, he would be strong for Carla and survive. He believed the plan would work… And if it did, maybe he could have the best outcome… Living, alive with all of his friends along with Eren… Even Hanji, she would be nice to have around, even though she was annoying. Perhaps when Carla got back he should ask to be refreshed about the details of the plan… What was it exactly and how would it be carried out? What did he have to do again? And so on.

 

To think that only five minutes had passed before Carla came back. _Five_ minutes felt like an hour of anticipation, anxiety and boredom. Sadly, the moment Carla walked in, was also the moment Levi had to hold his breath as he watched her being followed by another doctor who was wearing glasses. Well shit, now he couldn’t ask. _Carla, a little help here?_ Levi thought while feeling worried. What was going on? Surely this other doctor wasn’t going stick around. This was going to fuck everything up, that what Levi’s instincts told him… His instincts were never wrong.

 

            “5384, how are you coming along?” The doctor suddenly asked. Fuck, his voice sounded familiar, that wasn’t a good thing. “Do you remember me..? It’s okay to speak, if you can…” There was something in the man’s tone, one that made Levi feel threatened. He couldn’t imagine why he felt that way… But this man made him feel all sorts of uneasiness. A quick glance at Carla, Levi saw her shake her head. Was she trying to tell him something? Perhaps. Knowing her, it was a warning, but what for? So Levi shook his head, no, he did not know the doctor. “Hmn…” The doctor hummed as he pulled off his mask. “Do you remember me now?”

 

            At that moment, Levi wished he could have stopped his eyes from widening. Crap, he couldn’t ever forget that man’s face. No. He wanted to forget. Levi wanted the man to get away from him. Mentally cursing the situation, it was evident the doctor was trying to provoke Levi. The man wanted him to remember, and Levi’s instincts screamed at him, warning him. It didn’t take much for Levi to realize why. “… _Grisha_..?”

 

            A smug smirk found its way onto the doctor’s face. “I knew that was too easy.” Grisha tutted, “I wonder how many times we’ll have to go through this before you forget? Tell me, patient 5384… How much can you handle before your memory begins to fade? You must forget. And for some reason, that’s all you seem to forget, my orders… If you would just forget the past, we could stop and you could be sold… But no, you must make this difficult… No food for him, let’s get to work right away. I have more test to run anyway…” Grisha hissed, clearly displeased that Levi could still remember…

 

            However, poor Levi had no clue what he was supposed to be forgetting about his past? Hell, he didn’t remember hardly any of it. Plus, he was struggling to remember if the relationship he had with Eren was real or not. He had so much to straighten out and not enough time. Now, stacked on top of all of that, he was scared as to what Grisha’s plans were. The man was evil and that was a fact.

 

            Luckily Carla was on his side, “But Grisha, Levi needs a break. Food and water… You don’t want him to die, do you? Don’t you have any decency..?”

 

            “It is business, you know my hands are tied. You and I both know he won’t die any time soon… Plus, after this, his healing factor should double its potential. Capable of withstanding multiple broken bones, fractures, disease… And I bet _Levi_ will look forward to that.” Grisha said, opening the only door to the room. All he did was motion his hand and two more doctors came in. So it would seem that Grisha had planned for this, and they would be doing… whatever they were going to do, _now_.

 

            “B-but _Grisha_.” Carla said sternly, “We could just let him go. We don’t have to-”

 

            “I am _sorry_ , Carla… But my hands are tied.” Grisha said as he was ushering his wife out of the room. His head glanced back at the other men in the room, “Do your job; get to work!” He commanded. And like that, both of them were gone. Levi’s heart sank. Without Carla here, he wouldn’t be saved… These people wouldn’t go easy on him either… And what was that about Grisha’s ‘hands being tied’? Was there someone else pulling the strings the whole time? Now that was something Levi never would have thought. He truly believed that it was Grisha who was the evil one… Guess Levi owed him some sort of apology…

 

            Levi would have to figure out who was the real person pulling the strings here…

 

            Then a gag was placed in his mouth. Carla would get what she wanted, he would reluctantly go along with this… Even though he knew he was about to be in a world of pain. He was doing this for his freedom… Levi would fight- by being brave. Just being strong a little longer… He would be free and reunited with everyone, all of his friends and loved ones… And hopefully Eren.

 

            But first he had to get through whatever this was. It would probably be some form or torture… And if it was, bring it one. Like Grisha said, he wasn’t going to die… Not now. Levi wasn’t ready to die anyway. There was so much he had yet to do- and three huge syringes struck fear in Levi like no other. The pit of his stomach twisted in such a way that Levi knew… Something bad was about to happen. Physically, Levi showed no signs of fear, mentally however, Levi was fearing for his life. Every time these stupid doctors injected him with huge syringes, nothing good ever happened. They were usually testing a new drug or cure for a disease or some mutated crap.

 

            The moment Levi felt the first needle poke into his arm, he knew he wasn’t to like the outcome. Not even a moment later the second needle was stabbed into his side. Oh, that one hurt like hell. It seemed like the doctor didn’t care if he hit an organ, and Levi wouldn’t be surprised if he did. The third needle Levi was ready for, and it went straight into his thigh. Only sounds of pained groans escaped Levi. He couldn’t stop them if he tried. The gag made it very easy for pained sounds to escape him. It also made his mouth and jaw uncomfortable. Levi thought the scariest thing was not knowing that they had put into him… That, and the side effects…

 

            Which by now, Levi felt kicking it. A sharp indignant noise escaped Levi as he suddenly felt like he was in a world of pain. Starting near his abdominal area where the second syringe had been injected- all of that felt like it was burning. A horrible pain shot through Levi and just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, his skin started to break out… At first it looked like some form of hives, but then Levi watched as it progressed into boils. These boils seemingly got bigger, redder- Just what they hell did they inject him with this time!? Then Levi could feel his body start to twitch and jerk every which way. His heart began to race- he could just barely hear it on the monitor.

 

            Soon, sounds started becoming distorted. Levi started convulsing and choking as he eyes started to roll back. The pain seemed to be crawling its way up his body, up his chest, neck- the pain felt hot and stung like his skin was being peeled off. And just when it reached his face– right when Levi thought he was about to die –he passed out.


End file.
